University, Diss., 2005--Münster (Westfalen).

The problem of this research was to determine (a) perceptions of business teacher educators regarding the nature of integrated reading skill instruction in high school business courses, (b) the professional development background of business teacher educators for integrated reading skill instruction, and (c) the influence of selected variables on business teacher educators' perceptions of reading skill integration in high school business courses. The study population included 188 business teacher educators in 36 states. Data were gathered through the use of a survey instrument that was validated by a panel of experts and pilot tested. Conclusions state that business teacher educators perceive it is important to explicitly integrate reading skills in business courses. They reported the frequent integration of reading skills could improve the business and reading knowledge of learners. Study participants felt they were adequately prepared to instruct business education teacher candidates in methods of integrating reading skills in business courses. The study participants indicated they could use additional training to prepare business education teacher candidates to integrate reading skills in business courses. The same group indicated the most influential training to integrate reading skills occur during classroom practice, university coursework, and/or professional development conferences/workshops. Extensive participant characteristics were collected. The focus (research,teaching, or a combination of the two) of the participants' university and the duration of their teaching experience had a significant impact on their perception of the importance and outcome of integrating reading skills in business courses. It is recommended that business teacher educators be exposed to professional development opportunities focused on preparing business teacher educators in methods of integrating reading skills in business courses. Further research is recommended that determines if business teacher educators are actually preparing business teacher educators to integrate reading skills in business courses, the methods of preparation, and the impact on student reading and business skill achievement as a result of the integration of reading skills in business courses.

The optimal number of faces in cubical complexes which lie in cubes refers to the maximum number of faces that can be constructed from a certain number of faces of lower dimension, or the minimum number of faces necessary to construct a certain number of faces of higher dimension. If <i>m</i> is the number of faces of <i>r</i> in a cubical complex, and if s > r(s < r), then the maximum(minimum) number of faces of dimension s that the complex can have is m_(s/r) +. (m-m_(r/r))^(s/r), in terms of upper and lower semipowers. The corresponding formula for simplicial complexes, proved independently by J. B. Kruskal and G. A. Katona, is m^(s/r). A proof of the formula for cubical complexes is given in this paper, of which a flawed version appears in a paper by Bernt Lindstrijm. The n-tuples which satisfy the optimaiity conditions for cubical complexes which lie in cubes correspond bijectively with f-vectors of cubical complexes. / Master of Science

Le tournage de superfinition est très spécifique avec une profondeur de passe de l’ordre de 0.05mm et une avance de 0.05mm/tour et permet d’obtenir des surfaces dont la précision et la rugosité sont équivalents à ce que l’on pourrait obtenir par rectification. Cependant, ce procédé est fortement influencé par les caractéristiques dynamiques du système usinant. Le but de nos travaux est de comprendre comment les caractéristiques dynamiques du système Pièce / Outil / Machine (P.O.M.) influencent la qualité de surface obtenue en superfinition à l’outil coupant. Dans un premier temps, nous avons défini, en nous appuyant sur la méthode normalisée du Couple Outil Matière (C.O.M.), des conditions de coupe acceptables et stables. Ensuite, une analyse fréquentielle nous a permis d’identifier trois éléments du système P.O.M. comme sources de vibrations remarquables, à savoir la machine elle-même, la fréquence de rotation de la broche et l’outil utilisé. Puis, nous avons mis en place une démarche expérimentale lourde afin d’évaluer l’influence des sources identifiées sur des critères d’état de surface et sur les vibrations mesurées au niveau de l’outil coupant. Enfin nous avons abordé l’étude des corrélations existantes entre les vibrations et l’état de surface généré en tournage de superfinition / The superfinishing in turning is very specific, depth of cut about 0.05mm and feed in the order of 0.05mm/rev and allows to produce surfaces with precision and roughness equivalent to grinding process. However, this process is strongly influenced by the dynamic characteristics of the machining system. The aim of our work is to understand how dynamic characteristics of the Part/Tool/Machine (P.T.M.) system influence the surface quality obtained in superfinishing with cutting tool. Initially, we defined acceptable and stable cutting conditions by using the standardized method of the Couple tool-matterial. Then, a frequential analysis enabled us to identify three remarkable sources of vibrations in the P.T.M. system that are the machine tool, the spindle frequency and the tool. Then, we set up an experimental study in order to evaluate the influence of the identified sources of vibrations on surface quality and on the vibrations measured on the cutting tool. Finally we studied the correlations between the vibrations and the surface quality obtained by superfinishing turning

Weighted automata can be seen as a natural generalization of finite state automata to more complex algebraic structures. The standard reasoning tasks for unweighted automata can also be generalized to the weighted setting. In this report we study the problems of intersection, complementation, and inclusion for weighted automata on infinite trees and show that they are not harder complexity-wise than reasoning with unweighted automata. We also present explicit methods for solving these problems optimally.

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a robust test against the normality assumption, but it may be inappropriate when the assumption of homogeneity of variance has been violated. Welch ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test (a non-parametric method) can be applicable for this case. In this study we compare the three methods in empirical type I error rate and power, when heterogeneity of variance occurs and find out which method is the most suitable with which cases including balanced/unbalanced, small/large sample size, and/or with normal/non-normal distributions.

More retail and service firms are using mystery shoppers in Taiwan to monitor their frontline operations and to assess their customer service, since the concern over whether their customers are truly satisfied is increasing. However, virtually nothing is known about whether the quality of the data collected by professional mystery shoppers is different or more reliable than that of shoppers disguised by general customers. Here we use a traditional statistics approach to assess the quality of data collected from both professional mystery shoppers and general customers. Feedback questionnaires from general customers and the potential use of mystery shoppers are made as a means of evaluating the service quality of cram schools in Taiwan. The purpose of this thesis is to show that the reliability of mystery shopping data made from professional mystery shoppers is higher than that of data made from general customers. With this question in mind, we conducted a two-step empirical research, as the amount of samples needed was insufficient. First, a primary study to examine the equality of population among branches was carried out in order to pool data from different branches. Then, the relative reliability of the surveys of mystery shoppers to general customers was examined by pooling data of the branches together. The findings provide evidence to suggest that reliable information could be obtained by pooling both shopper reports together. This empirical result also implied that well-trained mystery shoppers can make more objective observations and more effective assessments than general customers.

The Texas Department of Transportation has been experiencing maintenance budget fluctuations recently. The shortage of budget has a negative impact on the agency’s maintenance strategies and results in the undesirable deterioration of highway conditions increasing the risk towards both road users and the agency. This paper aims at developing a methodology to minimize the impact of budget fluctuation by quantifying the risk of not performing a maintenance activity and identifying the priority of maintenance activities based on the quantified risk. With the help of maintenance experts from TxDOT, four maintenance objectives and 16 maintenance function groups were identified and a hierarchy structure was developed based on the objectives and function groups. Four pilot districts were selected to represent the different demographic and climatic regions in Texas and maintenance experts were selected from the four districts to participate in the workshop. The Overall Relative Weights of 16 maintenance function groups were determined based on the individual evaluator’s judgments using the Analytical Hierarchy Process. To determine if the four pilot districts give different relative importance to the four defined objectives and different priority to the 16 maintenance groups, statistical analyses were conducted with the four sets of values, one for each of the four pilot districts, using Kruskal-Wallis test. At last, a web-based prototype system was developed to assist users in generating the list of maintenance projects under budget constraints. Exposure factors, ADT and truck volume, were applied in the system to factor in the impact of traffic to the maintenance strategy. Users of this system can choose to use the weights and parameter values from one of the pilot districts which they think is most comparable to their own district or the state average values that has been proved to be applicable to all the districts in Texas. / text

This diploma thesis deals with use of the Project Implementation Profile (PIP) tool in managing training projects in the non-profit sector. Appropriate methodology for implementation of the PIP tool is described. The Project Implementation Profile tool is implemented in order to enhance quality of management of chosen training project. This training project is realized by non-profit children organization called Chameleon Brno. Furthemore, proper measures evaluating ten critical success factors are set. They are tracked and analyzed for a purpose of determination their impact on performance of training project. Two similar training projects are compared in order to find out improvements provided by use of the PIP tool. Finally, the proposed measures are discussed in relation to their suitability also for other training projects operated by organization Chameleon Brno. It results in desicion that they can be applied also to these training project in order to enhance quality of their management.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a battery of tests to be used as part of the process of selecting bursary students for engineering at tertiary institutions. Due to the problems in the schooling system it is not conclusive that all students who have obtained their senior certificates are prepared and able to meet the demands and challenges of tertiary education. The purpose of this study was to determine the criterion related validity of a mathematic proficiency test, Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT) and English Literacy Skills Assessment (ELSA) as predictors of academic performance. A quantitative approach was used for the purpose of this study. More specifically the Ex post facto analyses/design is used in this study. The relationships between the dependent and independent variables were determined. Correlation analyses, Kruskal-Wallis test and regression analysis were used for the purpose of this study. The results indicated that the Mathematical proficiency test was the best predictor of academic success, followed by LPCAT and ELSA. The results of this study indicates that the use of academic literacy and learning potential contribute in selecting the best students. Companies and Universities have long been looking for a predictor or predictors of success for students as they enter tertiary studies. This information has the potential to save companies and universities millions of Rands annually by helping them make better investment decisions. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Human Resource Management / Unrestricted