Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Stephan K. Bohacek, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, 1980. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 558-560).

No description available.

Thesis submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Office Management and Technology In the Faculty of Business At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / In the past Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) used to be confined to a particular geographical location to conduct their business. This is no longer the case especially since the introduction of the internet. The World Wide Web (Web) now offers SMMEs an opportunity to market, communicate, advertise, purchase and sell goods and services online 7 days a week, 24 hours a day around the globe. However, doing business online is not without risk, as companies also have to ensure that they have adequate security measures in place. SMMEs need to be kept updated on security threats that keep on emerging. They need to keep their information secure in order to avoid unnecessary losses. The advances in modern technology, especially with computers that are connected to the internet have resulted in SMMEs being exposed to cyber-attacks. In most cases, these companies do not have the financial muscle to effectively address such data breaches. Even though cyber-attacks are on the rise, hospitality SMMEs still leave themselves vulnerable to these attacks. Data breaches can be a result of both internal and external attacks. Research indicates that internal attacks are not easy to detect thus making them more deadly than external attacks. It is therefore, important for SMME to come up with policies that will curb inside attacks. However, information security policies are not common amongst hospitality SMMEs. SMMEs are not always aware of the risks that they are exposed to even though their customers expect them to keep information secure whenever they conduct online business. Most of the hospitality SMMEs are expected to provide online bookings. Credit cards are commonly used in this instance and if the information is not kept secure, companies may face lawsuits from customers. Even though the majority of the hospitality SMMEs indicate that they keep credit card data secure, there are still cases where some do not ensure secure transactions whenever credit card information is exchanged. Vulnerability assessment in order to check if there are any loopholes in networks is rarely carried out by SMMEs. These companies hire IT experts on a temporary basis; further exposing themselves as they there is no one to monitor their networks on a daily basis. In most cases SMMEs believe that technology is their answer to security problems. They omit the human aspect of security. Even though SMMEs indicate that data loss is one of the challenges they are facing, they still fail to put measures in place to address this. This research examines measures and policies implemented by hospitality SMMEs in their quest to address data security breaches. Only hospitality SMEs that are connected to the internet are used in this research.

Transit trips include four parts: the trip from the front door to the transit stop; the wait at the transit stop for the transit vehicle; the transit ride; and the trip from the transit drop off point to the final destination. This thesis explores methods of improving the pedestrian trips to and from the transit stop and the waiting period at the transit stop. People are not satisfied with their transit trips. People want better quality waiting areas, increased safety, comfortable surroundings, transit information, and convenience during the transit trip. This thesis explores the positive relationship between the quality of public streets and transit facilities, and ridership satisfaction. The thesis proposes that the transit trip can be improved by improving transit waiting areas, and the paths people take arriving at and departing from transit stops. BC Transit's Vancouver Regional Transit System's transit facilities are the focus of the study. Transit facilities include: bus stops, bus loops, bus exchanges, SkyTrain stations, and SeaBus terminals. The study reviews people's attitudes towards transit facilities and discusses the items that people consider important to a transit trip. This review includes a survey conducted by the author and a review of surveys conducted for BC Transit. A review of the literature provides further evidence on the basic requirements for transit facilities and a comparison is made with the local situation. The thesis explores the potential for land use planning, urban design and on-site design to improve the safety, comfort, and convenience of transit facilities. The role of BC Transit, in providing adequate transit facilities, is discussed along with the roles and responsibilities of other associated organizations including: the Province, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, municipal governments located within the Vancouver Region, private enterprise, and business improvement districts. The study concludes BC Transit should give more thought to the transit customer in the design and location of transit facilities. And that municipal governments must take action to improve the quality of streets and transit facilities in their own communities. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis presents a conceptual framework within which a geography of wholesaling may be pursued and illustrates it in terms of a case study carried out in Vancouver, British Columbia. In particular the research draws attention to the significance of the locative decision, and the institutional framework within which it is made in accounting for the distribution of wholesaling activity. The essence of the wholesaling function is that, in contrast to retailing, it consists of business transactions with other than ultimate consumers. The wholesaler typically serves as a break of bulk and regrouping point to which goods are shipped in bulk, and from which they are distributed in order lots as required by the customer. The relevant body of substantive theory was examined with a view to generating explanatory hypotheses for the distribution of wholesale grocers in Metropolitan Vancouver. In essence this literature postulated that distribution centres such as wholesale grocers, ceteris paribus, tend to locate at the point of minimum cost of distribution and maximum accessibility to their markets. A reconnaissance of the case area suggested, however, that a number of "distorting" factors were important in an adequate interpretation of the pattern. A more complex research orientation seemed to be required. Accordingly the locational pattern of the wholesale grocers in Metropolitan Vancouver was considered as the net resultant of the locative decisions of its constituent entrepreneurs. The institutional framework of the industry in Metropolitan Vancouver was considered as the context of the locator's decision. The function, technology, market structure and control aspects were studied and a number of relevant locational factors isolated. It was found that entrepreneurs can, and do, evaluate and rank site factors in terms of their long run business objectives. Where their location is, in their view, inadequately serviced, especially vis-a-vis other sites, they will express dis-satisfaction. When dis-satisfaction is strong enough the locator will move to a new and, to him, more appropriate site. It was concluded that Vancouver's role as a distribution centre for wholesale grocers was secure. Within the Metropolitan area, however, the locational pattern of wholesale grocers was in flux. It was concluded that the downtown area was, and would continue to be at a disadvantage to more peripheral areas as a local for wholesale grocery establishments. Further, those firms which had maintained downtown locations were those dealing in specialised merchandise with a high value to volume ratio; those whose sales volumes did not require large sites; those which had a specific market or other over-riding locational factor (e.g. lack of capital) influencing the choice of a downtown site. Firms which had moved to more peripheral sites tended to be larger companies requiring large areas of floor space, free flowing highway conditions, or were dealing in nationally known branded goods where proximity to a downtown market was not vital. The conclusions formed in this study are valid only for the industry, the area and the time period under consideration. It remains for further studies of grocery wholesaling to be made at other times and places to test their general applicability. It is hoped, however, that the conceptual framework within which the study was conducted and the research techniques which were utilised will provide a methodological orientation universally suitable for the development of a geography of wholesaling whose empirically derived principles will form a segment of a unifying theory for economic geography. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

One major task faced by public recreation planners is the determination of the type, quantity and quality of future recreation that will be demanded. A second follow-up job involves the attempt to maximize user satisfaction by providing adequate recreation services and facilities while allowing for limitations in both recreation resources and agency capability. Prerequisite to the successful completion of these two tasks is the presence of a sound research framework that is complemented by relevant information and proper analysis techniques. The major concern of this thesis was to describe, in some detail, the present state of recreational planning in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. In particular, research was directed towards the assessment of existing arrangements and procedures for generating and analyzing-recreation information. Three major objectives were realized: (1) to evaluate the planning methodologies presently used in the assessment of the supply and demand for recreation resources; (2) to assess the suitability and capability of public park and/or recreation agencies to undertake continuous, efficient and relevant recreational planning; and (3) to propose changes in the present arrangements and procedures for recreational planning. The methodology used in this study followed two related and complementary steps. In the initial phase, a 'comprehensive recreation planning model' was developed. It consisted of three sub-models of investigation: demand, supply and demand-supply linkage analyses. The latter step focused on a comparative evaluation of the recreational planning approach and the recreation agency i.e. it's capability and suitability for research, for one regional and twelve municipal park and/or recreation agencies in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, via the 'comprehensive recreation planning model' and the seventy-seven criteria that were used as indicators of quality. Results of the comparative evaluation indicated significant deficiencies in several aspects of the recreational planning approaches currently being used. Major limitations in the research capability of the recreation agencies were linked to inadequate research budgets, and to insufficient data generation and processing ability. Further, the majority of agencies examined showed a need for more information regarding the recreation clientele i.e. their demands, preferences, degrees of preference, leisure time budgets, and their past education and experiences related to public recreation; and, the recreation resources i.e. land, facilities and services by type, nature and quantity. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the satisfaction which co-operative housing members experience during the process of obtaining and living in their dwellings. With the recent surge of growth of housing co-operatives in British Columbia, an evaluation of this form of tenure seems timely. Traditionally evaluation studies have assessed a program or agency by relying on the input of the administrators. Although several government studies have investigated co-operative housing, little work has been completed which assesses this type of tenure from the user point of view. A distinctive characteristic of co-operative housing is the opportunity for the members to be totally involved in the planning and management of the project. This study therefore evaluates co-operative housing by investigating the satisfaction which users derive from their living environment. Members of co-operatives in the Greater Vancouver Regional District whose projects were completed or in the planning stages were personally interviewed and factors relating to satisfaction were discussed. From this survey, it became clear that the majority of people are very satisfied with their housing and the process they experienced to obtain it. In the case of completed projects, satisfaction was strongly linked with co-operators' perceptions of a strong sense of community, attendance at recent co-operative housing meetings, understanding of co-operative ownership, the kind's of-expectations of co-operative living which members have, and previous co-operative experience. For members of projects in the planning stages satisfaction was linked with understanding of co-operative ownership, ability to contact the co-operative's Board of Directors and desire to join other co-operative activities. Recommendations for improving or influencing those factors which are related to satisfaction are suggested. Two major issues emerged that relate to the co-operative housing movement in general. These are: user participation in the planning and management of the project, and member education. It is suggested that by enlarging and improving the education program the financial and social responsibilities of co-operative housing will be better understood and more people will take advantage of the opportunity to participate. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

There is a need for better information and an understanding of the process of land use change for effective planning in the Greater Vancouver region. Achieving this understanding is challenging due to the multiple public sector organizations setting land use and infrastructure planning policy in the region. A review of literature and interviews with representatives of public sector planning organizations in Greater Vancouver reveals that a region-wide, GIS-based, land use computer simulation model can provide the information infrastructure for increasing understanding as well as developing shared learning and enhancing communication and coordination between the numerous planning organizations. In order to do this, the model structure should take advantage of advances in GIS technology and the modeling process must be open and participatory to ensure a successful modeling project. More specifically, seven guiding principles are recommended for the development of a GIS-based land use model for Greater Vancouver. These principles define the key elements that a successful modeling project for Greater Vancouver should either contain or address: (1) Should be flexible and adaptable (2) Should be 'understandable' (3) Should be methodologically sound in that the results should be the logical extension of the inputs (4) Should consider the entire functional region (5) Should have an open and participatory process for development (6) Should have clear objectives for the project (7) Planners should be involved in the modeling process Overall, the most important principle to consider is the need for an open and participatory process for development. An open process creates shared learning, acceptance of the model results, and a forum in which stakeholders can explore and debate ideas and alternative futures. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The Internet has influenced our lives greatly. The way we communicate evolved with the arrival of the Internet and has continued to evolve along with the Internet. While initially being used by Academia and large organizations such as the American Department of Defense, the Internet soon became a buzzword in the average home. E-mail has changed the way companies and individuals communicate, and the World Wide Web has changed the way all Internet users access information. Lately the ability to communicate globally and instantly via text services such as MSN, audio services such as Skype, or audio and video services such as Microsoft NetMeeting has become popular. These new services consume ever-increasing amounts of bandwidth; in turn these high quality services have driven the need for high-speed always-on Internet connections to businesses and homes. The development of 802.11b and later on 802.11g wireless local area network (LAN) standards have brought wireless networking to the home user. Cheap Wi- Fi-certified hardware has enabled many people to access their high-speed Internet connections from anywhere within their home, or even on the move. The convenience that Wi-Fi has brought has resulted in the increased use of the broadband services mentioned above. The end result is that the Internet changed the way we communicate, and continues to do so with the help of Wi-Fi. / Dr. E. Marais