Civil infrastructure systems are the foundation of economic growth and prosperity in all nations. In recent years, infrastructure rehabilitation has been a focus of attention in North America and around the world. A large percentage of existing infrastructure assets is deteriorating due to harsh environmental conditions, insufficient capacity, and age. Ideally, an assets management system would include functions such as condition assessment, deterioration modeling, repair modeling, life-cycle cost analysis, and asset prioritization for repair along a planning horizon. While many asset management systems have been introduced in the literature, few or no studies have reported on the performance of either optimization or heuristic tools on large-scale networks of assets. This research presents an extensive comparison between heuristic and genetic-algorithm optimization methods for handling large-scale rehabilitation programs. Heuristic and optimization fund-allocation approaches have been developed for three case studies obtained from the literature related to buildings, pavements, and bridges with different life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) formulations. Large-scale networks were constructed for comparing the efficiency of heuristic and optimization approaches on large-scale rehabilitation programs. Based on extensive experiments with various case studies on different network sizes, the heuristic technique proved its practicality for handling various network sizes while maintaining the same efficiency and performance levels. The performance of the genetic algorithm optimization approach decreased with network size and model complexity. The optimization technique can provide a high performance level, given enough processing time.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is generally considered as the most important index and comprehensive measure of the size of economy. This paper investigates empirically the relationship between transport infrastructure (focus on highways) and GDP growth based on a production function approach. The physical stocks of transport infrastructure were used instead of monetary data to measure public capital together with several other variables (labor and private capital) that were hypothesized to affect economic growth. Then we explore a number of subsequent studies that use panel data covering the period between 1992 and 2004. An investigation was done to compare developed countries and developing countries. Results indicate that physical units are positively and significantly related to economic growth. Furthermore there was an interesting finding that the output elasticity with respect to physical units for developed countries is higher than developing countries.

The literature is convincing that the revolving door presently occurring in schools as new teachers prematurely leave the profession is difficult not only on children and families, but also school staff and school-wide improvement efforts. However, there is also adequate literature that supports new teacher induction coupled with a qualified mentor as a means for reducing new teacher attrition. While mentoring has been found to be an effective approach for retaining new teachers in the profession, there has been little attention on the supports needed to implement and sustain such programs. The primary purpose of this study is to identify those components of infrastructure necessary to support the implementation and sustainability of a developmental mentoring program. Using literature from the areas of Improving Workplace Conditions and Educational Systemic Change along with Project CREATE and the national standards for mentoring programs a model for infrastructure is proposed. These components along with implications for including or deleting infrastructure from program design are considered. The outcomes from this study will be useful for those in the midst of creating and improving district level mentoring programs. The findings offer the potential to identify the root causes of instability reducing the possibility of program ineffectiveness in planning, implementing, sustaining and improving developmental mentoring programs.

Since 1989, the United States Federal Government and the State of Texas have targeted water and wastewater infrastructure development spending in the colonias to improve access to safe, reliable and adequate water supplies and wastewater service. Prior to widespread installation of piped, treated water infrastructure, waterborne illnesses attained levels only seen in developing countries. Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent since 1989 on water and wastewater infrastructure improvements, roughly a quarter of colonias still lacked basic access to water and wastewater services. Previous research and assessments of where this government spending has been targeted have not evaluated all four largest funding sources together or demonstrated the impacts of water and wastewater infrastructure spending on either public health or the local economy. This report evaluates the first of these problems by analyzing government spending of these funding sources from 1996 to 2006 in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr counties. The report provides the history and context of the Texas colonia problem, discusses who provides water and wastewater services to the colonias, and describes the make-up of federal and state financial assistance to the colonias to develop their water and wastewater infrastructure. Conventional understandings of where government spending is going, for what, and to whom, are challenged by the data and analysis. Analysis results indicate greater spending on wastewater infrastructure improvements than water service in addition to greater allocation to municipal systems that extended service into colonia areas historically operated by water service corporations. Further research may build on this data as well as regional economic and epidemiological data to determine outcomes of the spending in quantitative terms using various impact assessment methodologies. This report concludes with a discussion of impact assessment.

This thesis provides an assessment of the effectiveness of micro unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAVs) as a tool for collecting condition data for transportation infrastructure based on multiple field experiments. The primary experiment entails performing a level of service (LOS) condition assessment on multiple roadside sample units at various locations across the state of Texas. A secondary field experiment entails performing a pavement condition index (PCI) survey on airfield pavements. The condition of these sample units were assessed twice: onsite (i.e., ground truth) and by observing digital images (still and video) collected via a MUAV. The results of these surveys are then analyzed to determine if there are statistically significant differences in the standard deviation and mean values of the condition ratings. This study shows that in favorable site conditions, the MUAV demonstrates promise for improving current roadway inspection methods. However, limitations of the MUAVs field performance show that there is need for improvement in this technology before it can be implemented.

Abstract The educational budget system and relevant decree have been promulgated since 2000. One of the important changes is the budget of each educational institute has been changed to funds system. Each educational institute should funds raised by itself. Come down a few years, inside in educational institute get up asymptotic change. They should have more interaction with the societies in order to obtain more resources. Because of the change and development of the social attitude, government¡¦s public affair budget has adjusted by a wide margin. Increase in the social welfare expenditure, comparatively, the budget of public construction are squeezed. The Law for Promotion of Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects, which was promulgated on Feb. 9, 2000, espouses the spirit of vigorous innovation and, from the aspect of creating benefit, establishes partnership relations between the government and the private sector. The main features of this law include the following: 1. Embodiment of general-type legislation. 2. Embodiment of the civil contract concept. 3. Maximization of private participation. 4. Maximization of government carefulness. The law builds the new bridge between public sector and private sector for working together. This research takes educational institute as an example, besides offering private participation opportunity; the project find the way to renew the facilities in the institute. The result of this research shows, consider the factors, such as the investment benefit, the right of consumers, the reasonable market price, etc, then adjust the proportion of investment, contract time, and find the way balancing between the public and private sector. It shows by the feedback plan to the institute or public sector. When the public sector carrying out BOT plan, should consider different plan characteristics, scale, market value, etc. adjust the relation with the private sector. Find the way working together, and make the project success. KEYWORD¡G educational institute, budget, Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects, investment feasibility study

Empowered by information and communication technologies (ICTs), e-commerce has radically transformed the global economic landscape over the past decade. The diffusion of e-commerce so far has mostly been limited to developed countries and has been relatively slow in the rest of the world. To alleviate the digital divide, the United Nations has sponsored research results and given financial support to help developing countries. This dissertation applies growth theory from developmental economics and macroeconomics to analyze B2C e-commerce growth and diffusion across countries. There are two empirical studies in this dissertation. An initial exploratory study proposes three models for the growth of e-commerce revenues for European countries. An endogenous growth model proposes that e-commerce growth in a country is primary driven by internal factors. A contrasting exogenous growth model argues that e-commerce growth in a country is externally driven by leading countries. A third model, a mixed endogenous and exogenous growth model, argues that e-commerce growth is both internally and externally driven. This study tests data for 17 European countries from 2000 to 2004. The findings demonstrate that B2C e-commerce growth is driven by internal factors and external factors from a leading country, in support of the proposed explanatory growth theories. The second empirical study further proposes a hybrid growth-theoretic embedded technology infrastructure theory to investigate the role of Internet-based technology infrastructure in affecting e-commerce growth in a country. Its main purpose is to investigate whether there are simultaneous effects between Internet-based selling technology infrastructure and e-commerce growth. The findings show that there are two-way interactions between e-commerce growth and technology infrastructure. The overall objective of this dissertation is to open up a dialogue about the efficacy of alternative theoretical perspectives that will help to align IS and e-commerce research with theoretical and methodological developments from economic research.

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of best practices framework like In- formation Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) on IT outsourcing implementation. This thesis will examine the research question:</p><p>“What are ITIL’s effects on IT Outsourcing implementation?”</p><p>The goal is to find out whether ITIL is applicable in IT outsourcing project, and if it has a positive or negative impact on it. The study of the impact of ITIL in IT outsourcing pro- jects, will start by giving the reader an overview about ITIL and IT outsourcing critical suc- cess factors. This thesis is conducted through a cross-sectional study, and information has been obtained through secondary literature. The authors have also conducted a series of in- terviews with IT practitioners and an IT expert. The interviews has been done in a semi- structured way.</p><p>The outcome of this research show that ITIL definitely can have a positive impact on IT outsourcing implementation. A positive effect that has been discovered from this research is that ITIL improved the communication between service providers and customers. These studies also shows that ITIL can serve as a growth enabler by giving structure to compa- nies work activities. On the other hand, organizations should consider ITIL more as guide- lines than a framework. This research also discovered that using ITIL frameworks can make work procedures more complex and time demanding, and due to this, small- to me- dium-sized companies could face more struggle in the implementation phase of ITIL.</p>

<p>In October 2000 the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) was launched. The purpose of the IIRSA is to improve integration of the South American countries and intraregional trade between them. One of the ultimate goals is to promote sustainable growth. The purpose of this paper is to find out if a better quantity and quality of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade in South America. It is found that the quantity of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade. On the other hand, there is no evidence for the quality of transport infrastructure increasing intraregional trade in South America. Furthermore, this paper investigates whether economic growth can be obtained through more trade. In other words, this paper examines if trade causes growth. The results do not confirm the trade-growth causality for all countries. The difference between the existence of a trade-growth causal relationship or not could be explained by the core commodities that the different South American countries export.</p>

Die Studie analysiert soziale Infrastruktur- und Dienstleistungsangebote in sächsischen Dörfern. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei der Blick der Bevölkerung: Wie bewerten Dorfbewohner ihre Lebenssituation? Wie nehmen sie Post- und Bankdienstleistungen oder die medizinische Versorgung wahr? Wie wird die Nahversorgung bewertet? Und welche Entfernungen müssen zu einzelnen Versorgungsangeboten zurückgelegt werden? Zur Beantwortung dieser und anderer Fragen wurde eine Bevölkerungsbefragung ausgewertet, an der 2.719 Bewohner aus 22 sächsischen Dörfern teilnahmen. Die Mehrheit der Befragten bewertet die dörflichen Lebensverhältnisse positiv und zieht das Landleben dem Leben in der Großstadt vor. Jedoch erschweren weite Wege zu wichtigen Infrastruktureinrichtungen das alltägliche Leben. Jeder Zweite empfindet dies als störend am Dorfleben. Insbesondere die Versorgung mit Waren und Dienstleistungen wird von den Befragten bemängelt. Zufrieden sind die meisten dagegen mit dem Kindergartenangebot. Aus den Ergebnissen werden Anhaltspunkte für eine bedarfsgerechte Daseinsvorsorge gewonnen. Es wird gezeigt, worauf bei der Anpassung von Mindeststandards zu achten ist und welche Potenziale das bürgerschaftliche Engagement bietet. Die Ergebnisse sollen zur bedarfsgerechten Gestaltung der Daseinsvorsorge in Sachsens Dörfern beitragen.