IS quality is an important concept. Basing their model on information communication theory, DeLone and McLean formulated Information Quality and System Quality as two quintessential elements in their 1992 IS Success Model. In recent years, DeLone and McLean (2003) added Service Quality to form a triumvirate of antecedents to success. Unfortunately, the addition of this construct has unintentionally uncovered an overall lack of coherence in the theoretical modeling of IS Success. Research to date on IS Service Quality has largely ignored the impacts of Information Quality and System Quality when service is delivered through an information system (IS). We believe deeper theoretical insights are needed to reconceptualize Service Quality and rationalize IS quality. After reviewing related literature, we apply marketing exchange theory as a reference framework to redefine service related terms and identify possible scenarios of delivering service through systems. Thereafter, we model IS quality in a new way, based on analysis of alternative scenarios. In validating our proposed model, we discuss our research methods and data analysis that will serve as empirical evidence. In particular, we focus on content validity, construct validity, nomological validity, and unidimensionality of the three IS quality dimensions: System Quality, Information Quality, and Service Quality. By furthering our understanding of IS quality, we hope to initiate coherent theory development; this exercise should then lead to a theory that integrates IS quality elements and helps organizations implement effective strategies for using IS to deliver service. Through the empirical validation of IS quality model, we contribute an empirical assessment of content, construct, and nomological validity of the IS quality constructs, as proposed by DeLone and McLean in their 2003 updated IS success model.

No description available.

Thesis (MProjMgmt)--University of South Australia, 2000

Thesis (MAppSc in Project Management) --University of South Australia, 1994

Asset managers recognise that high-quality engineering data is the key enabler in gaining control of engineering assets. Although they consider accurate, timely and relevant data as critical to the quality of their asset management (AM) decisions, evidence of large variations in data quality (DQ) associated with AM abounds. Therefore, the question arises as to what factors influence DQ in engineering AM. Accordingly, the main goal of this research is to investigate DQ issues associated with AM, and to develop an AM specific DQ framework of factors affecting DQ in AM. The framework is aimed at providing structured guidance for AM organisations to understand, identify and mitigate their DQ problems in a systematic way, and help them create an information orientation to achieve a greater AM performance.

The applications of geographic information systems (GIS) in various areas have highlighted the importance of data quality. Data quality research has been given a priority by GIS academics for three decades. However, the outcomes of data quality research have not been sufficiently translated into practical applications. Users still need a GIS capable of storing, managing and manipulating data quality information. To fill this gap, this research aims to investigate how we can develop a tool that effectively and efficiently manages data quality information to aid data users to better understand and assess the quality of their GIS outputs. Specifically, this thesis aims: 1. To develop a framework for establishing a systematic linkage between data quality indicators and appropriate uncertainty models; 2. To propose an object-oriented data quality model for organising and documenting data quality information; 3. To create data quality schemas for defining and storing the contents of metadata databases; 4. To develop a new conceptual model of data quality management; 5. To develop and implement a prototype system for enhancing the capability of data quality management in commercial GIS. Based on reviews of error and uncertainty modelling in the literature, a conceptual framework has been developed to establish the systematic linkage between data quality elements and appropriate error and uncertainty models. To overcome the limitations identified in the review and satisfy a series of requirements for representing data quality, a new object-oriented data quality model has been proposed. It enables data quality information to be documented and stored in a multi-level structure and to be integrally linked with spatial data to allow access, processing and graphic visualisation. The conceptual model for data quality management is proposed where a data quality storage model, uncertainty models and visualisation methods are three basic components. This model establishes the processes involved when managing data quality, emphasising on the integration of uncertainty modelling and visualisation techniques. The above studies lay the theoretical foundations for the development of a prototype system with the ability to manage data quality. Object-oriented approach, database technology and programming technology have been integrated to design and implement the prototype system within the ESRI ArcGIS software. The object-oriented approach allows the prototype to be developed in a more flexible and easily maintained manner. The prototype allows users to browse and access data quality information at different levels. Moreover, a set of error and uncertainty models are embedded within the system. With the prototype, data quality elements can be extracted from the database and automatically linked with the appropriate error and uncertainty models, as well as with their implications in the form of simple maps. This function results in proposing a set of different uncertainty models for users to choose for assessing how uncertainty inherent in the data can affect their specific application. It will significantly increase the users' confidence in using data for a particular situation. To demonstrate the enhanced capability of the prototype, the system has been tested against the real data. The implementation has shown that the prototype can efficiently assist data users, especially non-expert users, to better understand data quality and utilise it in a more practical way. The methodologies and approaches for managing quality information presented in this thesis should serve as an impetus for supporting further research.

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / The effect of partial rootzone drying (PRD) on the composition of grape and wine secondary metabolites was investigated. At harvest, total anthocyanin and phenolic concentration in fruit of Vitis vinifera L. cvs Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon was either unaltered or increased in response to PRD over two seasons. Where an increase in anthocyanin concentration was found with PRD, this was found to be independent of berry size. Rather, increases in anthocyanin concentration were most likely due to an increase in anthocyanin production in the berry skins. In Cabemet Sauvignon wine made from one vintage, total colour was enhanced by 10% in response to the PRD treatment, although in that season total anthocyanin concentration was unaltered in the fruit or wine. This colour enhancement was due to an increase in coloured pigments in copigmented or polymeric form, that is in association with other anthocyanins or phenolic compounds. This is a significant finding, as it shows that the colour of wine is not dependent upon anthocyanin concentration alone, but rather on reactions taking place during winemaking and wine-ageing. The colour enhancement was found to be maintained after a year's ageing in the bottle. A key question which arises from this work is which component(s) of total phenolics in PRD-treated wines is responsible for this effect. Preliminary investigation of seed proanthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols showed that their content per berry was unaltered by the PRD treatment. However, where berry weight was decreased due to PRD, the concentration of these seed tannins was increased on a per gram basis. This could potentially lead to an increased contribution of seed tannins to total wine phenolics in PRD wines. The effect of this is two-fold. Firstly, seed tannins are known to be weak copigments and could in part account for the increased copigmentation and polymerisation of anthocyanins observed with PRD. Secondly, an increased concentration of seed tannins in PRD wines could alter wine astringency and mouth feel properties. In both fruit and wine samples, PRD was found to cause a decrease in the contribution malvidin-glucosides to total anthocyanins. Thus, levels of non-malvidin glucosides, namely delphinidin and cyanidin, were increased by PRD. This effect was investigated as fruit matured post-veraison, and was evident from early in berry development. Preliminary results indicate that this response requires the presence of high incident light levels to the fruit during development, but is not mediated by increased bunch exposure alone. Shading of fruit led to a significant decrease in all anthocyanin types, and caused a shift in the ratio of acetyl- and 3p-coumary1-glucosides to mono-glucosides. The PRD treatment, however, did not cause changes in the proportions of acetyl-, 3p-coumary1-and mono-glucoside anthocyanins. These results show that the response of the anthocyanin pathway to the PRD treatment is most likely mediated by physiological signals within the fruit and vine, rather than due to a change in bunch zone microclimate. An important class of potential flavour and aroma compounds in grapes are the C₁₃-norisoprcnoids. As the precursors to these compounds are fruit-derived, rather than by-products of fermentation, the potential exists for their manipulation using viticultural practices. Previously, bunch exposure has been thought to be the primary factor mediating the final levels of C₁₃-norisoprenoids in fruit. The current study has shown that total shading of developing bunches using artificial means led to a significant decrease in the levels of these compounds in both fruit and wine samples of Shiraz. However, when fruit of this variety was subjected to natural changes in bunch exposure, resulting from alterations in canopy structure, the response of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids to these conditions was either small or insignificant. Of the three C₁₃-norisoprenoids studied, namely ß -damascenone, ß -ionone and TDN, only TDN showed a significant response to bunch exposure under these conditions. Preliminary results of this study on Shiraz indicated that the concentration of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids ß -damascenone and TDN can potentially be influenced by changes in vine shoot vigour and canopy architecture, induced by a water-deficit. This finding was validated by a study on Cabernet Sauvignon, where the effect of PRD on fruit C₁₃-norisoprenoids was investigated. The concentrations of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids ß -damascenone, ß -ionone and TDN were shown to be increased by up to 30% in response to PRD in Cabernet Sauvignon fruit over two vintages. The changes in these compounds in the fruit were associated with increased levels of the carotenoids lutein and ß -carotene, which are potential precursors to the C₁₃-norisoprenoids. The results of the current study have shown that the regulation of C₁₃- norisoprenoid concentration in grapes and wine may not be primarily due to the level of incident light on developing bunches, although the presence of light is necessary for their production. Rather, the effect of deficit irrigation practices on whole-vine physiology and vine shoot vigour holds stronger potential as a tool for the viticultural manipulation of these compounds in fruit and wine. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1129092 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Wine and Agriculture, 2004

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / The effect of partial rootzone drying (PRD) on the composition of grape and wine secondary metabolites was investigated. At harvest, total anthocyanin and phenolic concentration in fruit of Vitis vinifera L. cvs Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon was either unaltered or increased in response to PRD over two seasons. Where an increase in anthocyanin concentration was found with PRD, this was found to be independent of berry size. Rather, increases in anthocyanin concentration were most likely due to an increase in anthocyanin production in the berry skins. In Cabemet Sauvignon wine made from one vintage, total colour was enhanced by 10% in response to the PRD treatment, although in that season total anthocyanin concentration was unaltered in the fruit or wine. This colour enhancement was due to an increase in coloured pigments in copigmented or polymeric form, that is in association with other anthocyanins or phenolic compounds. This is a significant finding, as it shows that the colour of wine is not dependent upon anthocyanin concentration alone, but rather on reactions taking place during winemaking and wine-ageing. The colour enhancement was found to be maintained after a year's ageing in the bottle. A key question which arises from this work is which component(s) of total phenolics in PRD-treated wines is responsible for this effect. Preliminary investigation of seed proanthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols showed that their content per berry was unaltered by the PRD treatment. However, where berry weight was decreased due to PRD, the concentration of these seed tannins was increased on a per gram basis. This could potentially lead to an increased contribution of seed tannins to total wine phenolics in PRD wines. The effect of this is two-fold. Firstly, seed tannins are known to be weak copigments and could in part account for the increased copigmentation and polymerisation of anthocyanins observed with PRD. Secondly, an increased concentration of seed tannins in PRD wines could alter wine astringency and mouth feel properties. In both fruit and wine samples, PRD was found to cause a decrease in the contribution malvidin-glucosides to total anthocyanins. Thus, levels of non-malvidin glucosides, namely delphinidin and cyanidin, were increased by PRD. This effect was investigated as fruit matured post-veraison, and was evident from early in berry development. Preliminary results indicate that this response requires the presence of high incident light levels to the fruit during development, but is not mediated by increased bunch exposure alone. Shading of fruit led to a significant decrease in all anthocyanin types, and caused a shift in the ratio of acetyl- and 3p-coumary1-glucosides to mono-glucosides. The PRD treatment, however, did not cause changes in the proportions of acetyl-, 3p-coumary1-and mono-glucoside anthocyanins. These results show that the response of the anthocyanin pathway to the PRD treatment is most likely mediated by physiological signals within the fruit and vine, rather than due to a change in bunch zone microclimate. An important class of potential flavour and aroma compounds in grapes are the C₁₃-norisoprcnoids. As the precursors to these compounds are fruit-derived, rather than by-products of fermentation, the potential exists for their manipulation using viticultural practices. Previously, bunch exposure has been thought to be the primary factor mediating the final levels of C₁₃-norisoprenoids in fruit. The current study has shown that total shading of developing bunches using artificial means led to a significant decrease in the levels of these compounds in both fruit and wine samples of Shiraz. However, when fruit of this variety was subjected to natural changes in bunch exposure, resulting from alterations in canopy structure, the response of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids to these conditions was either small or insignificant. Of the three C₁₃-norisoprenoids studied, namely ß -damascenone, ß -ionone and TDN, only TDN showed a significant response to bunch exposure under these conditions. Preliminary results of this study on Shiraz indicated that the concentration of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids ß -damascenone and TDN can potentially be influenced by changes in vine shoot vigour and canopy architecture, induced by a water-deficit. This finding was validated by a study on Cabernet Sauvignon, where the effect of PRD on fruit C₁₃-norisoprenoids was investigated. The concentrations of the C₁₃-norisoprenoids ß -damascenone, ß -ionone and TDN were shown to be increased by up to 30% in response to PRD in Cabernet Sauvignon fruit over two vintages. The changes in these compounds in the fruit were associated with increased levels of the carotenoids lutein and ß -carotene, which are potential precursors to the C₁₃-norisoprenoids. The results of the current study have shown that the regulation of C₁₃- norisoprenoid concentration in grapes and wine may not be primarily due to the level of incident light on developing bunches, although the presence of light is necessary for their production. Rather, the effect of deficit irrigation practices on whole-vine physiology and vine shoot vigour holds stronger potential as a tool for the viticultural manipulation of these compounds in fruit and wine. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1129092 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Wine and Agriculture, 2004

University of Technology, Sydney. / This overall objective of this research was to identify factors that were important in forming middle managers' attitudes toward quality and quality programs in their organisations. An underlying assumption of the research, supported by the literature, was that a middle manager's attitude toward his/her quality program could be an important indicator of behaviour toward the program e.g. resistance, willingness to be involved. Reviews of the literature on middle management, quality, attitude measurement and research more specifically related to the research topic was undertaken. The work of Ajzen (1988) was particularly useful in devising an overall theoretical framework for the research . A number of hypotheses related to the overall research question were formulated. Twenty-one organisations agreed to participate in the research. These all had a quality program. Some of the organisations were quite advanced in quality, a number had won Australian Quality Awards, others were much less advanced. Organisations were drawn from manufacturing and services in both private and public sectors. Data was collected in two main ways. Firstly, a questionnaire was designed, piloted and distributed to approximately 1100 middle managers in participating organisations. The response rate was approximately 50%. Secondly, in depth interviews were carried out with middle managers, senior managers and quality managers in a number of the participating organisations. The results generally confirm the importance of the middle management group as key to the success of a quality program. Middle managers across all of the participating organisations generally believed that the TQM approach to management was an effective one. Their views on the effectiveness of IS09000 were less positive. Middle managers generally believed that the quality programs were more likely to benefit their organisations rather than to directly benefit themselves, although quality programs did provide some opportunities for some middle managers. Middle managers generally believed that their quality programs provided both operational and strategic benefit for their organisations. Paradoxically, a widely held belief among middle managers was that quality programs did not reduce short term thinking and over-reacting to short term goals. Positive attitudes to quality in the organisation were associated particularly with the values and beliefs that middle managers held regarding: a) program support from top management, from their direct boss and from their colleagues; b) a range of program outcomes for the organisation and c) a range of program outcomes related to the individual middle manager. For middle managers actively involved in their organisations quality program the clarity of their program role was positively related to program attitudes. Training/education in quality was also significantly related to some beliefs and attitudes towards quality and quality programs. Middle managers generally believed that quality programs involved a significant increase in paper work and bureaucracy. However this was not a significant influence on their attitudes toward quality in their organisations. An important finding was that for a wide range of beliefs and attitudes related to quality no significant differences were found between the types of jobs held by middle managers. An exception was the quality specialist group who generally had significantly more positive attitudes and beliefs about quality and their quality programs than did other job categories. Middle managers seemed relatively at ease with most of the changes that were taking place as part of their programs. In particular they had relatively positive views on devolution of responsibility to lower level employees. Middle managers also seemed relatively at ease with their own performance being more tightly monitored with program implementation. The research supported the more optimistic view of middle Management that has been reported recently (e.g. Fenton-O'Creevy 1998). The notion of the middle management still had currency in all of the organisations participating in the research despite the many structural changes that had taken place.

The applications of geographic information systems (GIS) in various areas have highlighted the importance of data quality. Data quality research has been given a priority by GIS academics for three decades. However, the outcomes of data quality research have not been sufficiently translated into practical applications. Users still need a GIS capable of storing, managing and manipulating data quality information. To fill this gap, this research aims to investigate how we can develop a tool that effectively and efficiently manages data quality information to aid data users to better understand and assess the quality of their GIS outputs. Specifically, this thesis aims: 1. To develop a framework for establishing a systematic linkage between data quality indicators and appropriate uncertainty models; 2. To propose an object-oriented data quality model for organising and documenting data quality information; 3. To create data quality schemas for defining and storing the contents of metadata databases; 4. To develop a new conceptual model of data quality management; 5. To develop and implement a prototype system for enhancing the capability of data quality management in commercial GIS. Based on reviews of error and uncertainty modelling in the literature, a conceptual framework has been developed to establish the systematic linkage between data quality elements and appropriate error and uncertainty models. To overcome the limitations identified in the review and satisfy a series of requirements for representing data quality, a new object-oriented data quality model has been proposed. It enables data quality information to be documented and stored in a multi-level structure and to be integrally linked with spatial data to allow access, processing and graphic visualisation. The conceptual model for data quality management is proposed where a data quality storage model, uncertainty models and visualisation methods are three basic components. This model establishes the processes involved when managing data quality, emphasising on the integration of uncertainty modelling and visualisation techniques. The above studies lay the theoretical foundations for the development of a prototype system with the ability to manage data quality. Object-oriented approach, database technology and programming technology have been integrated to design and implement the prototype system within the ESRI ArcGIS software. The object-oriented approach allows the prototype to be developed in a more flexible and easily maintained manner. The prototype allows users to browse and access data quality information at different levels. Moreover, a set of error and uncertainty models are embedded within the system. With the prototype, data quality elements can be extracted from the database and automatically linked with the appropriate error and uncertainty models, as well as with their implications in the form of simple maps. This function results in proposing a set of different uncertainty models for users to choose for assessing how uncertainty inherent in the data can affect their specific application. It will significantly increase the users' confidence in using data for a particular situation. To demonstrate the enhanced capability of the prototype, the system has been tested against the real data. The implementation has shown that the prototype can efficiently assist data users, especially non-expert users, to better understand data quality and utilise it in a more practical way. The methodologies and approaches for managing quality information presented in this thesis should serve as an impetus for supporting further research.