Thesis (M.M.S.)--Carleton University, 1993. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 F37 / Master of Business Administration

The increasing competition between telecommunication service providers (TSPs) and the large amounts of human resource costs incurred to provision telecommunication services to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), highlight the need for effective self-service provisioning methods to reduce costs. Existing service provisioning methods do not effectively support SMMEs in the service provisioning process. The current methods used are manual and Web-based. The manual service provisioning method is labour and time-intensive. TSPs are being forced to cut human resource costs as the profit margins for provisioning services are narrow due to competition. The current web-based systems do not allow SMMEs to effectively purchase services as they provide long textual lists to consult and limited information about services. The objective of this research was to develop an intelligent web-based self-service system to support SMMEs in telecommunication service provisioning, using a Design Science Research methodology. A constraint-based, knowledge-based recommender system was selected as the most appropriate intelligent system to support telecommunication service provisioning. A prototype called SelPro was developed as a solution to address the shortcomings of the current ineffective service provisioning methods available for SMMEs. SelPro incorporates an interactive wizard-style user interface with dynamic recommendations to support novice users as well as an expert interface which provides less user support. An expert review and a user study were conducted to determine if SelPro was usable, useful and effective. SelPro was perceived as being usable for SMMEs wishing to purchase telecommunication services. Expert participants were satisfied with the usability of SelPro and perceived it as being useful, easy to use and easy to learn. SelPro was considered effective because of the high task success ratings provided by the participants using the two interfaces. The research determined that intelligent web-based self-service provisioning can be used to effectively support SMMEs in telecommunication service provisioning. General design recommendations for similar systems were proposed and future work will involve using intelligent systems to support large enterprises in telecommunication service provisioning.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is now permeating our daily lives, providing critical data for every decision. IoT architecture consists of multiple layers with unique functions and independent components. Each layer of IoT architecture requires different power sources and power delivery schemes. Therefore, different types of power management architectures are required for individual IoT components. Fortunately, advances in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) technology have made it possible to implement a variety of high-performance power management architectures. These power management architectures should not only create the power rails required for IoT components but also serve additional functions depending on the application. The power management architecture of IoT devices needs to support sub-mW- or mW-scale power consumption. In addition, the power management architecture should be either fully integrated on a chip or miniaturized with few passive components to minimize the size of IoT devices. Building-scale data centers, on the other hand, need various power conversion stages. In this scenario, power conversion from an intermediate DC bus to many point of loads (PoL) requires a high conversion ratio DC-DC converter. Because each PoL draws enormous amounts of power, the power management architecture should withstand high currents and include protection circuitry to prevent damage. This thesis presents research on the design of power management architectures required by IoT devices and data centers. Chapter 2 presents the design and circuit techniques of power management architectures for IoT devices. Chapter 2 outlines a new methodology for co-designing an integrated switched-capacitor (SC) DC-DC converter and a load circuit in ultra-low-power IoT devices. This methodology enables the implementation of an area-efficient fully integrated IoT system-on-chip (SoC) while maintaining high power conversion efficiency (PCE). Chapter 3 presents a 10-output ultra-low-power single-inductor-multiple-output (SIMO) DC-DC buck converter with integrated output capacitors for sub-mW IoT SoCs. Featuring a continuous comparator-based output switch controller and a digital pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller for ultra-low feedback latency, this SIMO converter produces ten independent output voltages with high PCE. Lastly, in Chapter 4, an integrated programmable gate timing control and gate driver chip for an active-clamp forward converter (ACFC) Power Block for data center applications is developed. While the ACFC Power Block converts 12-48 V intermediate DC bus voltage to a digital PoL voltage, the gate timing control and driver chip can optimize PCE and reduce the system form factor.

no abstract provided by author / Master of Arts

An entirely digital system is presented which has several benefits as compared to the systems that are deployed currently. Utilizing digital capabilities to a much greater extent than is currently used within the power system allows for various improvements upon the current system. One such improvement is the ease of configuring and using the system. Each device can easily alter its functionality through a user interface, and the addition of devices is as easy as plugging it in. Additionally, the burden on the transformer due to the increase in the number of devices is nullified. The information remains accurate and unchanged, even when new devices are added to the system. The entire system conforms to the IEC 61850 standard, such that it adheres to the requirements of the actual power system. / Master of Science

A method of calculating the yearly owning and operating cost of a distribution transformer is developed taking into consideration the loss of life due to overload. Using the developed methods, the potential benefits of managing an overloaded distribution transformer was calculated for a transformer on the Virginia Electric and Power Company (Vepco) System. By loading the transformer according to a saturation type load growth curve considered typical for Vepco System, its life was approximated. The fixed carrying charges were then applied at a rate sufficient to recover all invested capital during the life of the transformer. The potential savings were calculated when cutting the secondary and adding a transformer of equal one size smaller and two sizes smaller than the original. The study indicated no savings would be obtained when cutting the secondary. The only savings indicated were obtained by taking down an overloaded transformer and replacing it with the next larger size. The potential savings of managing these transformers presently installed, as well as those to be installed in the next years, as well as those to be installed in the next ten years, was calculated using a critical rate of return of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 percent. The calculated savings were $3,251,500 at 6 Percent, $2,674,400 at 7 Percent, $2,075,400 at 8 Percent, $1,602,200 at 9 Percent, $1,257,300 at 10 Percent. / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Corporate governance (CG) has recently received much attention because of the wave of financial scandals in the early 2000s and the more recent global financial crisis. CG reforms, including laws, codes and listing rules have been established to protect shareholders’ rights and restore investors’ confidence in the capital market. These reforms have largely contributed to the evolution of internal and external governance mechanisms that are aimed at mitigating agency conflicts between managers and shareholders. However, overemphasis has been placed on the monitoring and control dimensions of governance, which may hinder entrepreneurial activities, obscure business prosperity and contribute to a narrow perspective on CG. It has been argued that there is a need to broaden CG beyond compliance (conformance) to a set of rules and laws, to include the performance aspects of governance that focus on strategy and value creation. In other words, governance should not only focus on monitoring managerial performance to ensure accountability to shareholders, but also on mechanisms that motivate management to optimise shareholders’ wealth. Enterprise governance (EG) framework has been introduced to keep the balance between the conformance and performance dimensions of governance. However, few studies address the possible tension between conformance and performance. Moreover, there is no agreement among these studies on the relationship between conformance and performance in the governance context. Arguably, Value-based Management (VBM) is an appropriate approach to address the issue of EG. VBM adopts value creation as an overall objective, develops a strategy that contributes to value creation and integrates it into decision-making. In this way, VBM can act as an effective mechanism for motivating management to maximise shareholder wealth, which works in parallel with other CG mechanisms, to mitigate agency conflicts resulting from the separation between ownership and management. This study aims to develop a contingency framework of EG through operationalising the conformance using CG and performance using corporate entrepreneurship (CE). This framework examines the inter-relationships between VBM, compliance with the Combined Code on Corporate Governance (CCCG), CE and the ultimate effect on organisational performance. More specifically, the study empirically examines the effect of compliance with the CCCG on CE, and whether VBM can achieve a balance between compliance with the CCCG and CE, should a conflict exist. The study also examines whether a fit between contingency variables (company size, agency conflicts, uncertainty, strategy and decentralisation), VBM, compliance with the CCCG codes and CE is associated with organisational performance. To achieve the aim of this study a cross-sectional survey, based on a questionnaire, is conducted to identify the level of VBM implementation, contextual and organisational factors in the large and medium quoted companies in the UK. The questionnaire targets the Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in these companies as key informants. In addition, a content analysis of the annual reports of the sampled companies is undertaken to measure the level of compliance with the CCCG. Financial data (e.g. organisational performance) have been obtained from the DataStream, Fame and Thomson One Banker databases. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is adopted for data analysis and hypotheses testing. The results suggest that VBM implementation is positively associated with agency conflicts, low cost strategies and decentralisation. Compliance with the CCCG is positively associated with agency conflicts and company size. CE is positively associated with company size, uncertainty and differentiation strategies. In addition, the fit between compliance with the CCCG and contingency factors significantly predicts the marketbased performance. The fit between CE and the contingency factors significantly predict the perceived performance. However, the results regarding the effect of VBM on organisational performance are mixed. While VBM has no significant direct effect on the market-based performance, VBM has indirect positive effect on the market-based performance acting through compliance with the CCCG as an intervening variable. VBM is significantly associated with compliance with the CCCG but not with CE. No evidence is found for negative association between compliance with the CCCG and CE. The results support a large number of the proposed relationships between the contingency factors, VBM, compliance with the CCCG and CE. The results also suggest that using both compliance with the CCCG and CE as intervening variables in the relationship between VBM and organisational performance contributes to explaining the mixed results in the VBM literature. In terms of the EG framework, VBM does not keep a balance between conformance and performance. VBM emphasises the compliance with the CCCG (conformance) at the expense of CE (performance). The results did not provide significant evidence of a conflict between compliance with the CCCG and CE, the area which lacks empirical evidence. This study contributes to the literature at different levels. At the theoretical level, this study develops a theoretical model that links a performance management system (PMS), i.e. VBM, to CG practices and CE. This model attempts to bridge the gap between different disciplines, including management accounting, CG and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, combining both the contingency theory and the agency theory lenses contributes to the development of a comprehensive model of EG. At the methodological level, unlike previous studies, this study measures VBM practices on a continuum, rather than categories. Multiple data collection methods are used, and a powerful statistical technique (PLS-SEM) is adopted for data analysis. At the empirical level, the study is conducted in the UK. Though it is different from the US in many aspects, very few studies have been conducted in this context in many research areas such as VBM, CG and CE.

The cost of health care services is rising and the number of patients requesting overseas treatment from the Kuwait Government continues to increase; this is becoming an unsustainable financial burden. A telemedicine system has the potential to support the Kuwaiti health system to provide medical consultations from global medical centres, and thereby reduce the number of Kuwaiti patients being sent abroad for treatment, and so reduce costs. This research investigates the readiness of the key stakeholders in regard to adoption of telemedicine systems in the Kuwaiti healthcare system. This is achieved by assessing the readiness of individuals (physicians and patients), the organisation (policy makers) and the technical infrastructure (IT managers). Moreover, the lack of research on this topic, particularly in the Arabian Gulf Region, was the reason behind carrying out this study. An in-depth study was conducted by using a quantitative and qualitative approach. A questionnaire was used to explore the attitudes of specialised physicians and patients by obtaining their opinions based on specific criteria. Next, semi-structured interviews were conducted: (1) with IT managers to assess the technical infrastructure of the health system; and (2) with policy makers to assess the organisation in regard to its readiness towards telemedicine adoption. The study shows that the overseas referral patients are ready to use telemedicine systems, as a consequence of their need to receive medical consultations from global experts. However, they expressed some concerns, such as privacy and confidentiality of their data. The specialised physicians also showed readiness towards adoption of telemedicine in the Kuwaiti health system, and their responses indicated that they are willing to use such systems. However, the findings of the interviews reveal that the current technical infrastructure for ICT in the Kuwaiti healthcare system is not ready for telemedicine adoption and there are needs to be change in the way management is organized in order to improve and enhance trust among departments. The qualitative approach identified factors that would inhibit and hinder the adoption of telemedicine in Kuwait, as well as the supportive factors in the organisation. Using the results, a strategy was developed to demonstrate how the Kuwaiti health system could be made ready to receive a telemedicine system, together with policies for the use of telemedicine systems by overseas referral patients. A comparison with Jordan and Syria shows that the Kuwaiti healthcare system is more ready to adopt a telemedicine system with respect to the individuals, technical infrastructure and governmental support. Finally, an economic analysis was performed in order to investigate the cost effectiveness of the proposed system.