This study has presented a Planning Support System (PSS) design which is an integrated collection of computer technologies, and models, organized in the form of a toolbox to enhance and improve the planning practice. Such a system combines and facilitates different technologies in one well-designed environment to solve planning problems. Theses problems could address both routine (managerial) and non-routine (forecasting, location-allocation) activities.My goal in this thesis is to conceptually design a PSS from a regional planning perspective. If a Planning Support System is designed for the most complex planning problems (which typically concern regional planning issues), it would be adaptable to the other, more managerial types of activities.The process of Planning Support System would be similar, but not identical to the flow of strategic planning. The PSS would consist of five phases and each phase would include different combination of databases and workflows supported by recent and appropriate computer technology packages. / Department of Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Problems associated with irrigation in humid regions include uncertainty of whether irrigation will be necessary in a given year, and the question of whether crop response will be sufficient to make the required investment profitable in the long run. A prototype knowledge based system (KBS) has been developed to determine the economic feasibility of a range of irrigation systems for site specific conditions. The KBS uses information input by the user to determine possible irrigation alternatives and provides an economic evaluation of suitable systems based on domain-specific knowledge about soils, crops, irrigation costs, and agricultural drought in Virginia. Irrigation systems considered by the KBS include center-pivot, traveling gun and portable pipe systems. Crops considered are field corn, soybeans, and peanuts. Preliminary evaluation showed that the KBS was able to effectively determine if portable pipe, traveling gun and center pivot irrigation systems were suitable, and provide an economic evaluation of these systems for site specific situations in Virginia. The KBS developed in this study provides a basic framework which can be used to build a more comprehensive system which would address a larger domain, considering additional systems and crops. / Master of Science

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After many years of speculation about the possible introduction of a capital gains tax in South Africa, the tax is finally with us. Coming on top of the move to a residence basis of taxation, the introduction of the capital gains tax will impose a massive burden on the limited, skilled administrative recourses available to taxpayers and the SARS alike. Amongst investors and even some professional financial advisors such as auditors and attorneys there still is confusion and not a lack of knowledge on CGT. Appropriate planning and structuring is seldom performed. The potential CGT liability escalates every year depending on the growth rate of the particular asset. CGT will therefor be an unavoidable and growing problem for investors. Planning for the CGT goes hand in hand with estate planning and requires decisions to be taken now. The purpose is to position and structure your portfolio to avoid or reduce future tax liability (CGT and estate duty). In this study an Excel program was developed in order to calculate CGT. The model (Estate Advisor) also has a decision function and can calculate and predict future CGT liability. The purpose of the model is to test the result of a range of decisions and assumptions quickly and accurately. This enables the investor to decide on entities and structures that would best suit his situation given the assets under his control. The Estate Advisor is a tool for producing different scenarios of future situations regarding CGT and estate duty. It helps the investor to investigate and consider different options regarding his investments with regard to CGT. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na baie jare van onsekerheid en gissings omtrent die moontlike implementering van Kapitaalwinsbelasting in Suid-Afrika, is hierdie belasting finaal geïmplementeer deur die SAID. Die implementering van KWB val saam met die verskuiwing na "verblyf' as "bron" van inkomstebelasting. Tesame sal dit groot druk uitoefen op die beperkte administratiewe bronne wat aan die belasingbetaler en die SAID beskikbaar is. Tussen gewone beleggers en selfs ook tussen sommige professionele finansiële adviseurs (ouditeure en prokureurs) heers daar in 'n groot mate onsekerheid en onkundigheid met betrekking tot KWB. Die probleem is dat 'n ferm basis van kennis van KWB benodig word om in staat te wees om die berekeninge te doen. 'n Gevolg van hierdie situasie is dat dringend benodigde aandag nie altyd aan beleggers geskenk word nie. Die potensiële KWB aanspreeklikheid eskaleer elke jaar met die betrokke groeikoers van die onderliggende bate. KWB is dus 'n onafwendbare en groeiende realiteit vir beleggers. Die beplanning vir toekomstige KWB gaan hand aan hand met beplanning vir boedelbelasting doeleindes. Die doel is om die belegger se portefeulje te posisioneer en struktureer sodat toekomstige belastingaanspreeklikheid (KWB en boedelbelasting) beperk kan word. In hierdie tesis is 'n eenvoudige Excel model ontwerp om KWB en boedelbelasting te bereken. Die model doen al die berekeninge en haal dus die las van die belegger af om oor detail kennis van KWB te beskik. Die model (Estate Advisor) het ook 'n besluitnemingsfunksie waar die belegger verskillende opsies kan oorweeg en toets. Die model word gebruik om toekomstige KWB te voorspel en bereken. Dit stel die belegger in staat om besluite te maak omtrent entiteite en strukture wat in sy situasie die gepaste antwoord sal wees. Die model moet nie gesien word as 'n instrument om beleggingsbesluite te neem nie en dit kan nie keuses uitoefen tussen verskillende beleggingsbates nie. Die doel van die model is uitsluitlik om die effek van verskillende besluite en aannames te vinnig en akkuraat te bereken. Dit dien as hulpmiddel vir die beplan van KWB en boedelbelasting wat in die toekoms betaal moet word. Die Estate Advisor is 'n instrument vir die produsering van verskillende scenarios van toekomstige situasies met betrekking tot KWB en boedelbelasting. Dit help die belegger om verskillende opsies te oorweeg en die beste beleggingsbesluit te maak.

The existing literature regarding the national forest planning process was reviewed and critiqued. This critique was aimed at identifying the planning process that was most likely to produce workable multiple-use national forest management plans without relying on procedures outside the process itself to make additional planning decisions. Using this criterion, it was determined that a planning process based on negotiations between the forest service and interested groups and/or individuals was the most promising planning process proposed to date. The nature of negotiated planning processes, national forest management plans, and computerized planning tools were investigated. Based on these investigations, performance criteria for computerized planning tools designed to operate within a negotiated national forest planning process were developed. These criteria called for such a planning tool to (1) be available and usable to all individuals and/or groups involved in the planning process, (2) be able to manage the planning process’s data management and modeling tasks, (3) be able to present data in a manner that facilitates understanding and communication, and (4) be able to develop an initial management plan that can serve as a starting point for the negotiation process. Finally, a prototype planning tool designed to meet the performance criteria just presented was developed and tested. In order to meet the third performance criterion, this prototype used maps as its primary data representation and presentation medium. Since the prototype was based on mapped data manipulation, it relied heavily on geographic information system (GIS) technology. The prototype also utilized simulation, optimization and economic modeling techniques. In addition to its ability to function within a negotiated planning framework, the prototype planning tool developed in this study also demonstrated the ability of such tools to build spatially defined forest management plans. No existing planning tool has this ability (including FORPLAN, the Forest Service’s current planning tool), and some authors have expressed doubt that any computerized system could develop spatially defined management plans. However, since this study’s prototype tool developed management plans that could be represented using maps, it by definition developed management plans that were spatially defined. When the prototype was tested, it was found to behave in a logical, intuitively appealing manner. For example, the system responded to increased timber values by increasing cutting operations, and to increased recreational values by decreasing management actions that adversely impact recreation (i.e., timber production). It was concluded that building an operational version of such a planning tool was feasible, and specific recommendations regarding how such a tool could be built were provided. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate an integration of real world, real time e-commerce with the knowledge and experience gained in participating in the Masters of Business Administration -- Information Management program at California State University, San Bernardino. It is this knowledge and experience that is used to create a Business-To-Consumer (B2C) electronic commerce application (ECA) using available Internet and information management technology. This project presents all aspects of the simulation beginning with the background research of the canine services and supplies industry and ending with an e-commerce simulation and post implementation audit.