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Yes / Purpose – This paper establishes a comprehensive basis for understanding the roles and competences of midlevel management and their influence on the effectiveness of continuous improvement (CI) capability within an organisation. Design/methodology/approach – This research builds upon the hypothesis that methods alone do not lead to successful CI capability development. It focuses on the role of mid-level management in driving a CI environment that underpins the effectiveness of CI capability. A reference model for the CI environment is synthesised based on critical literature review, integrating CI culture, CI enablers and CI leadership elements.A comprehensive framework is introduced to define CI leadership roles and competence indicators. A quantitative benchmarking study involving structured interviews with 15 UK organisations was undertaken to collect evidence for a causal relationship between CI leadership competences and CI capability. Findings – Analysis of the benchmarking data provides clear evidence of the causal relationship between the CI leadership competences of mid-level management and CI capability of the organisation. Given that the empirical study was structured on the basis of the CI leadership roles and competences framework introduced in this paper, this also provides validation for the proposed framework and the CI environment model. Practical implications – The evidence-based knowledge of the positive relationship between the midmanagement CI leadership competences and the effectiveness of the CI capability informs strategic organisational development interventions towards enhancing CI capability and effectiveness, ultimately underpinning productivity enhancement and sustainability. The framework for mid-level management CI leadership roles, responsibilities and competences introduced in this paper and grounded in underpinning work undertaken within a large automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), can be adapted by any organisation. The CI environment reference model should provide a comprehensive support for strategists to communicate the framework for CI capability improvement within an organisation, to enhance acceptability and adherence to improvement actions. Originality/value – This research proves for the first time the significance of the causal relationship between the CI leadership competences and the effectiveness of the CI capability within an organisation, thus filling an important gap between established previous work, focussing on the role of mid-level management on one side and practitioner and team level roles, methodologies and tools. The proposed CI environment model is a theoretical contribution with reference value for both practice and further studies. The comprehensive framework for mid-level management CI leadership roles, responsibilities and competences introduced in this paper provides sound foundation to deliver CI leadership in the workplace. / Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

All states and the District of Columbia have embraced academic standards as a primary means for improving public education (Manzo, 2001). Virginia implemented the Standards of Learning assessments in 1998. These assessments are based on a set of standards set forth by the Virginia Board of Education, and as of 2004, these assessments played a role in determining whether students received a high school diploma and whether a school received accreditation. The purpose of this study was to review the efforts of one Virginia school system to develop and sustain its capacity to improve student achievement in response to increased accountability. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological system framework provided a lens through which to study building capacity and improving a school system, a school, and individual classrooms. This multi-level perspective provided a means to study various aspects of school improvement in response to federal, state, and local policies. This researcher utilized qualitative research methods to investigate a school division that has been successful in building and sustaining capacity to improve its schools. The findings are presented in six major themes that describe how this system built and sustained the capacity to achieve state accreditation. These themes are (a) aligning curriculum to the state standards, (b) providing professional development, (c) fostering relationships, (d) promoting the use of technology, (e) building on strengths, and (f) sharing leadership. The six themes were evident across every subsystem n this school division, from classroom, to schoolhouse, to central office in response to state and federal policies of accountability. / Ed. D.

This research presents results of innovation management practices and sustainability of continuous improvement. Innovation is recognized as a growth tool for economies in general however not all economy sectors have innovation as a strategy. This research served as a case study to analyze how innovation is managed within innovative firms to help less innovative sectors, such as the wood products industry, to become profitable. Among the observed innovation management practices, this study was able to identify the use of continuous improvement to support incremental innovation. Although, continuous improvement is well known and accepted, there are still challenges to reach a sustainable state of continuous improvement. This research also addresses the difficulty in sustaining continuous improvement through a longitudinal case study. A literature review was conducted to identify factors influencing the sustainability of the continuous improvement. These factors were gathered within a research framework which functioned as the main source to establish the questionnaire used as the research tool. Utilizing this tool, the study evaluated the hypotheses relating to the effects of time, location and company type on the behavior of the enabling and inhibiting factors, and the relationships among them. Results demonstrated that time has no effect on factors affecting the sustainability of the continuous improvement, although changes affect how the factors are perceived as success factors in sustaining continuous improvement. The study also concluded that type of company and location impact how the inhibiting and enabling factors are perceived as supporters of the sustainability of the continuous improvement. Finally, the study revealed that these factors are correlated among them, thus sustainability is the result of a dynamic multifactor process rather that an unique factor. In addition to this new framework, the study also developed a self-assessment tool to be used for continuous improvement practitioners. With this tool, the new developed framework can be continuously monitored and proper and informed action can be taken by managers to address any observed gap in sustaining continuous improvement. Finally, the study also brings an example of interdisciplinary research which gathers quantitative methods from the statistics field, and qualitative methods from the business and social science fields. / Ph. D.

Remedial ground densification is commonly used to reduce the liquefaction susceptibility of loose, saturated sand deposits, wherein controlled liquefaction is typically induced as the first step in the densification process. Assuming that the extent of induced liquefaction is approximately equal to the extent of ground densification, the purpose of this research is to assess the feasibility of using earthquake liquefaction data in remedial ground densification design via energy-based concepts. The energy dissipated by frictional mechanisms during the relative movement of sand grains is hypothesized to be directly related to the ability of a soil to resist liquefaction (i.e., Capacity). This hypothesis is supported by energy-based pore pressure generation models, which functionally relate dissipated energy to residual excess pore pressures. Assuming a linearized hysteretic model, a "simplified" expression is derived for computing the energy dissipated in the soil during an earthquake (i.e., Demand). Using this expression, the cumulative energy dissipated per unit volume of soil and normalized by the initial mean effective confining stress (i.e., normalized energy demand: NED) is calculated for 126 earthquake case histories for which the occurrence or non-occurrence of liquefaction is known. By plotting the computed NED values as a function of their corresponding SPT penetration resistance, a correlation between the normalized energy capacity of the soil (NEC) and SPT penetration resistance is established by the boundary giving a reasonable separation of the liquefaction / no liquefaction data points. NEC is the cumulative energy dissipated per unit volume of soil up to initial liquefaction, normalized by the initial mean effective confining stress, and the NEC correlation with SPT penetration resistance is referred to as the Capacity curve. Because the motions induced during earthquake shaking and remedial ground densification significantly differ in amplitude, duration, and frequency content, the dependency of the derived Capacity curve on the nature of the loading needs to be established. Towards this end, the calibration parameters for energy-based pore pressure generation models are examined for their dependence on the amplitude of the applied loading. The premise being that if the relationship between dissipated energy and pore pressure generation is independent of the amplitude of loading, then the energy required to generate excess pore pressures equal to the initial effective confining stress should also be independent of the load amplitude. However, no conclusive statement could be made from results of this review. Next, first order numerical models are developed for computing the spatial distribution of the energy dissipated in the soil during treatment using the vibratory probe method, deep dynamic compaction, and explosive compaction. In conjunction with the earthquake-derived Capacity curves, the models are used to predict the spatial extent of induced liquefaction during soil treatment and compared with the predicted spatial extent of improvement using empirical expressions and guidelines. Although the proposed numerical models require further validation, the predicted extent of liquefaction and improvement are in very good agreement, thus giving credence to the feasibility of using the Capacity curve for remedial ground densification design. Although further work is required to develop energy-based remedial densification design procedures, the potential benefits of such procedures are as follows. By using the Capacity curve, the minimum dissipated energy required for successful treatment of the soil can be determined. Because there are physical limits on the magnitude of the energy that can be imparted by a given technique, such an approach may lead to improved feasibility assessments and initial designs of the densification programs. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of selected school board members across the country regarding the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities within their district. There were three research questions in this study. The first question examined how selected school board members perceived the quality and condition of existing public school facilities. The second question examined how they perceived the maintenance of these facilities. The third question examined what actions had been taken by the school boards of these selected members to address the improvement and renovation of these facilities. A descriptive research methodology was employed in this study. A nationwide stratified random sample had been selected to receive a coded mailed questionnaire consisting of twenty-one survey items, seven for each of the three research questions. The questionnaire included demographic information designed to allow the researcher to disaggregate the data received according to each of nine geographic regions throughout the country. Two follow-up mailings were made to non-respondents to increase the data collection return rate. Incomplete returns were not included in the data analysis. Frequency tables and descriptive statistics were constructed to display results with respect to each of the three research questions. The researcher found that the results of this study did not support significant recommendations that affirm findings in previous studies. Those findings described a continual pattern in the failure of school districts across the country to properly maintain the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities. This study surveyed selected school board members nationally for the first time regarding their perceptions on these issues. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of local school board members, division superintendents, local elected officials, state department of education personnel, and state legislators towards the approach taken to improve the public schools in Virginia by the enactment of state mandated standards of quality. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to all division superintendents in Virginia, all the members of the General Assembly, those state department of education personnel responsible for the standards of quality, and random samples of school board members and local elected officials. The questionnaire was designed to determine the respondents' attitudes on the improvement effected by the implementation of the standards of quality, the loss of local control involved, and the attendant increases in local expenditures. Respondents who perceived an improvement were asked if they believed the improvements were worth the costs involved. / Ed. D.

The Bolivian forest products industry has experienced substantial growth during the last ten years. Exports of value-added products have largely replaced logs and green lumber, and raw materials for wood products have shifted to lesser used species. Important investment has taken place in lumber drying capacity, which unfortunately was not always accompanied by sound drying practices. Several non-governmental organizations, with U.S. financial aid, are currently supporting the industry with technical assistance. This project assists these efforts by assembling much needed information regarding lumber drying, and providing tools for performance measurement of drying practices. A survey was conducted among Bolivian companies to determine lumber drying capacity, technology and practices. Results showed a total drying capacity of 6,104,250 board feet in 167 kilns. Technology and practices used are highly variable. Thirty six percent of kilns are home-made, and 59% are European commercial brands. Upon completion of the survey, a set of analytical tools was developed and tested in six Bolivian firms. These tools were designed to systematically evaluate lumber drying operations and formulate actions for improvement. Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) during storage, manufacturing and shipping was monitored in plants located in three Bolivian cities and inside containerized shipments of wood products. Findings showed differences between EMC and lumber moisture content from -1% to 7%. Differences between EMC inside dry-lumber storage and processing facilities varied between 0% and 3.6% and were greatly influenced by facility configuration. Climate during shipment of wood products largely depended on packaging materials and methods, which attenuate sharp changes in ambient conditions. Monthly values for outdoor EMC for the main cities of Bolivia were calculated based on historic weather data and are reported. / Master of Science