With the rapid Internet development, E-auction is also popular in recent years. In E-auction, the rating is the most effective indicator that can provide a referral for buyer and seller. In addition, buyers can use rating mechanism as feedback to respond their satisfaction after they bought goods. In the other hand, the rating of seller could reflect his transaction history before. When the positive rating is more, which means satisfied and successful transaction is more also, and represents that seller¡¦s credit accumulation. This study uses innovation diffusion model to analyze the seller¡¦s growth trend of rating, critical mass of rating by real data, classify sellers that equal to cluster analysis and discuss further. The samples are the sellers who sell t-shirt in eBay from December 1 in 2010 to January 31 in 2011. We get 8,304 sellers¡¦ data, and pick 116 of them randomly as samples, which are fit in with our research requests. This research is to answer three research questions. The first research question is to verify that growth trend of rating could fit in with diffusion of innovation, then, to analyze and discuss the growing trend and the rating accumulation. That result does verify that rating accumulation fit in with diffusion of innovation, and growing trend fit in with S-shaped curve. Furthermore, rating raise at first if it is affected by external influence, like key searching, website payment advertisement. On the contrary, the rating increases quickly for some time that the seller has good reputation if the rating is affected by internal influence, like word of mouth. The second research question is to calculate the critical mass of rating by Bass model. The result shows that the rating accelerates when it reaches critical mass between 1129 and 1402, it represents the seller accumulates considerable sale amount and customer satisfaction, and also let potential buyers more confident and promote their willingness to purchase. In addition, it can represent the sellers have enough experience and can provide the better marketing strategies when the sellers¡¦ rating reaches critical mass of rating. The third research question is to divide the sellers by cluster analysis and investigate. The result shows the diverseness between the growth trend of rating, the critical mass of rating, product price, and buyer repeated purchase. This study can provide a referral for the novice sellers, and they can develop their marketing strategy base on their characteristics of product.

The purpose of this study s to construct a questionnaire about Self-action control of Academic Performance for college students based on Kuhl and Kraska (1989) action control theory. The sampling method of this study used purposive sampling, randomly selected from the freshman or sophomore students to various departments of Sun Yat-sen University, with a total of 409 examinees. After four expert validity, experts on the appropriateness of the questionnaire with content review and suggest modifications to draw the contents of the pre-test about 78 items . Measuring method is adopted online computer systems connection randomly selected to scale the three dimensions of 10 questions given to the college students. The contents of the Scale have three dimensions, pre-analysis of the results of the RSM mode in the ConQuest software, there are 11 questions beyond the adaptation target range, and finally the good adaptation of Formal items are 67 items. The overall item difficulty is too easy. The results of the three sub-scale reliability are 0.62, 0.65 and 0.53. Based on the findings, it is recommended more difficult items can be included to the questionnaire in the future. developed.

When working on United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED projects, architects, designers, and engineers involved in a sustainable design project often require information and tools beyond energy simulation software. They may require resources (tools) to support their decisions and to assess the risk involved in decision making. This research has presented a framework that links building performance assessment tools with the LEED rating system. It aims at bridging a gap between Architects, engineers, contractors, facility managers and LEED professionals. This work provides information about performance tools that can be used for different phases during design, construction and operation of a LEED rated building. A simple logic of the transitive property of equality i.e. if a = b, b = c then a = c was used to link the LEED credits requiring decision support with the tools that have capabilities to achieve it. This research presents a 3-dimensional matrix of "Right tool for right job at right time" by linking LEED credits, software tools and phases of building design, construction and operation. Overall the findings of the research demonstrated that the framework developed can be used for achieving 21 percent of total possible LEED 3.0 credits by providing about 36 percent of total possible points.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of the environmental assessment tools available to gauge buildings. This rating system is a voluntary system which does not include financial aspects in the evaluation framework. This poses a challenge for encouraging land development projects, since developers consider financial or economic return as a crucial factor before building a project. It becomes essential to know if market really accepts the economic worth of LEED ratings. This research attempted to find out relationship between economic worth of a land and parameters (measurements), which are essential to earn LEED sustainable rating for public transportation access. To find out this relationship and to recognize power of the LEED measurements to predict the appraised value of a land (dollars per square foot) various statistical models were used and predictive equations produced. The observational units were properties in Harris County, Texas that were unimproved and had zero improvement value. The dependent variable was unit value of the property measured in dollars per square foot. The independent variables were measurements that are required for a parcel to earn LEED sustainable site rating for public transportation access and the area of parcel. Data regarding appraised values and land area were acquired from the Harris County Appraisal District and transportation data was obtained from Houston- Galveston Area Council. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze different models and to develop predictive equations. Findings suggest that LEED green building rating system influences the appraised value, dollars per square foot, of properties. It further implies that market considers the economic effect of the LEED rating system even if this assessment method does not explicitly include financial aspects in the evaluation framework. Findings of this research also suggest that a sustainable feature of a site is related to the economic worth of a related land development project. This will provide encouragement for new sustainable land development projects. This will provide an economic incentive to the owners and developers. Developers will get encouragement to select a site located closer to mass transit networks.

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The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in next-of-kin (NOK) of intensive care unit (ICU) patients has been reported at higher than 70% when screening is performed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The primary purpose of this study was to assess the ability of the HADS to predict psychiatric illness, diagnosed with the aide of a validated tool, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). In addition, we asked NOK to rate aspects of the ICU experience to determine possible associations with psychiatric diagnosis. Thirty-four NOK were enrolled in this study from July 2006 to November 2006. Subjects were interviewed to gather demographic information, their perception of the ICU experience, and to administer the SCID and the HADS. At least 6 months later, subjects were contacted by telephone to determine presence of psychiatric morbidity after the ICU experience. Fifty-six percent of all NOK experienced symptoms of either anxiety or depression during the ICU admission and 24% had psychiatric illness. The HADS had 100% sensitivity and 58% specificity when used as a screening tool for psychiatric diagnosis. Those with any SCID diagnosis were more likely to be a spouse (50% vs. 9%, p = 0.013) or a primary caregiver (60% vs. 8%, p = 0.003). Most NOK identified the healthcare team as supportive, though a subgroup of NOK who slept in the ICU reported that they found the healthcare team less supportive. This small study suggests the HADS is able to predict psychiatric illness in NOK of ICU patients. The ability to implement this tool as part of clinical practice to better meet the needs of families in the ICU warrants further investigation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-173).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-258). Also available on the Internet.

Credit rating agencies are controversial yet influential financial gatekeepers. Many have attributed the recent failures of credit rating agencies to conflicts of interest, such as the agencies’ issuer-pays business model and the agencies’ provision of ancillary services. This report identifies these conflicts; examines recently-finalized Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations proscribing these conflicts; and suggests other possible regulatory measures. The strategies available to regulators are diverse and differ widely in their political and administrative feasibility. These strategies include outright prohibition of conflicts; removing regulatory references to credit ratings; enhancing agency liability; organizational firewalls; performance disclosures; demonstrating due diligence and its results; increasing competition; staleness reforms; internal governance; administrative registration; and requiring alternative business models. While the report primarily focuses on how the most recent financial crisis—and the related market for asset-backed securities—highlighted conflicts of interest at credit rating agencies, this report also examines how credit ratings—and their limitations—affect sovereign debt markets. / text