Motivated by operational issues in real-world glass manufacturing, this thesis addresses a problem of laying out and sequencing the orders so as to minimize wasted glass, called scrap. This optimization problem combines aspects of traditional cutting problems and traditional scheduling and sequencing problems. In so far as we know, the combination of cutting and scheduling has not been modeled, or solved. We propose a two-phase approach: snap construction and constructing cutting and offload schedules. Regarding the second phase problem, we introduce FGSP (float glass scheduling problem), and provide its solution structure, called coveys. We analyze simple sub-models of FGSP considering the main elements: time, unit, and width. For each model, we provide either a polynomial time algorithm or a proof of NP-completeness. Since FGSP is NP-complete, we propose a heuristic algorithm, Longest Unit First (LUF), and analyze the worst case performance of the algorithm in terms of the quality of solutions; the worst case performance bound is {1+(m-1)/m}+{1/3-1/(3m)} where m is the number of machines. It is 5/3 when m=2. For the real-world problem, we propose two different methods for snap construction, and we apply two main approaches to solve cutting and offloading schedules: an MIP approach and a heuristic approach. Our solution approach produces manufacturing yields greater than 99%; current practice is about 95%. This is a significant improvement and these high-yield solutions can save millions of dollars.

The U.S Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration continue to face common challenges in the development and acquisition of their space systems. In particular, space programs repeatedly experience significant schedule slippages, and spacecraft are often delivered on-orbit several months, sometimes years, after the initially planned delivery date. The repeated pattern of these schedule slippages suggests deep-seated flaws in managing spacecraft delivery and schedule risk, and an inadequate understanding of the drivers of schedule slippages. Furthermore, due to their long development time and physical inaccessibility after launch, space systems are exposed to a particular and acute risk of obsolescence, resulting in loss of value or competitive advantage over time. The perception of this particular risk has driven some government agencies to promote design choices that may ultimately be contributing to these schedule slippages, and jeopardizing what is increasingly recognized as critical, namely space responsiveness. The overall research objective of this work is twofold: (1) to identify and develop a thorough understanding of the fundamental causes of the risk of schedule slippage and obsolescence of space systems; and in so doing, (2) to guide spacecraft design choices that would result in better control of spacecraft delivery schedule and mitigate the impact of these "temporal risks" (schedule and obsolescence risks). To lay the groundwork for this thesis, first, the levers of responsiveness, or means to influence schedule slippage and impact space responsiveness are identified and analyzed, including design, organizational, and launch levers. Second, a multidisciplinary review of obsolescence is conducted, and main drivers of system obsolescence are identified. This thesis then adapts the concept of a technology portfolio from the macro- or company level to the micro-level of a single complex engineering system, and it analyzes a space system as a portfolio of technologies and instruments, each technology with its distinct stochastic maturation path and exposure to obsolescence. The selection of the spacecraft portfolio is captured by parameters such as the number of instruments, the initial technology maturity of each technology/instrument, the resulting heterogeneity of the technology maturity of the whole system, and the spacecraft design lifetime. Building on the abstraction of a spacecraft as a portfolio of technologies, this thesis then develops a stochastic framework that provides a powerful capability to simultaneously explore the impact of design decisions on spacecraft schedule, on-orbit obsolescence, and cumulative utility delivered by the spacecraft. Specifically, this thesis shows how the choice of the portfolio size and the instruments Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) impact the Mean-Time-To-Delivery (MTTD) of the spacecraft and mitigate (or exacerbate) schedule risk. This work also demonstrates that specific combinations/choices of the spacecraft design lifetime and the TRLs can reduce the risk of on-orbit obsolescence. This thesis then advocates for a paradigm shift towards a calendar-based design mindset, in which the delivery time of the spacecraft is accounted for, as opposed to the traditional clock-based design mindset. The calendar-based paradigm is shown to lead to different design choices, which are more likely to prevent schedule slippage and/or enhance responsiveness and ultimately result in a larger cumulative utility delivered. Finally, missions scenarios are presented to illustrate how the framework and analyses here proposed can help identify system design choices that satisfy various mission objectives and constraints (temporal as well as utility-based).

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 80 pages. / Thesis (M.S.I.E.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the study of a unique but commonly occurring manufacturing problem of scheduling of customized jobs consisting of two operations on a single multi-purpose machine with the performance objective of minimizing the number of tardy jobs (jobs that are not completed by their due dates). Each customized job to be complete needs one unique operation and one common operation performed on it. We considered a static case in this work. The objective of minimizing the number of tardy jobs is considered where all jobs have equal weights and the maximum tardiness has no effect on the performance. This problem is proved in literature as NP-hard and hence practically very difficult to obtain optimal solution within reasonable computational time. Till date only a pseudo-polynomial algorithm is given to solve this problem with no concrete computational experiments designed to prove the efficiency and working of the algorithm for different problem instances. / ABSTRACT: We propose a heuristic algorithm based on the Moore-Hodgson's algorithm combining with other procedures and optimal schedule properties from the literature to solve this problem. In literature, Moore-Hodgson's algorithm is an efficient heuristic algorithm that minimizes the number of tardy jobs for the classical single machine one-operation problems. The performance of the heuristic is evaluated through extensive computational experiments for large real size data. The obtained results are compared to the solutions obtained by implementing the optimal pseudo-polynomial algorithm and the performance of the heuristic is tested on large data sets. The test data for the computational experiments are generated randomly using MATLAB 6.1. Future directions of research and development on the problem to improve the obtained solution by the heuristic algorithm are given. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

To investigate if the student’s school centeent, and that planning of the school lunch is done from a health perspective.   Qualitative research approach was used, including both interviews and observations, to view the purpose. Evidence was collected using a participating observer, semi constructed questions and structured observation. To focus on specific parts in the material, a directed content analysis was used. One large and one smaller school participated in the study. The staff that participated in the interviews are responsible for planning the schedules for school lunches and the centeent environment at their schools. The observations were conducted first without students in the centeent, and then with students present. The interviews were conducted in conjunction with the educators organizing the scheduling and planning of the centeent. The research problems are Are laws, recommendations and guidelines regarding the pupils' overall environment in the centeent applied according to the respondents?   Do the respondents experience that laws, recommendations and guidelines regarding the students' pyshical environment in the centeent are applied basen on a health perspective? Are applied laws, recommendations and guidelines observed regarding pupils' psychical environment in canteens, and is it interpreted to be based on a perspective of health? Are pedagogical meals applied according to the respondents and observations?   Is there a difference between the larger and the smaller school?   It was concluded that none of the respondents had knowledge about the recommendations from the Swedish NFA and the Department of Education regarding the amount of recommended time spent at the table and between what times lunch should be served. The larger school had however been actively addressing concern regarding both noise level and participation.   The size of the school determines the amount of energy needed to spend on subjects concerning noise, planning, participation and the physical environment. / Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka elevers matsalsmiljö samt om planeringen av skollunchen sker utifrån ett hälsoperspektiv. För att få inblick i ämnet valdes en kvalitativ ansats och en metodtriangulering som bestod av intervjuer och observationer. Intervjuerna var upplagd på ett semistrukturerat sätt och bestod av 14 frågor med följdfrågor. Respondenterna var två pedagoger från varsin skola som var delaktiga i planeringen av matsalsmiljön samt schemaplaneringen av lunch.  Observationerna var strukturerad vilket innebär att det som skulle observeras hade bestämts innan. Observationerna var deltagande så att personalen på respektive skola var medveten om att det skulle ske en observation av den fysiska miljön i matsalen. Uppsatsen är baserade på två skolor där en pedagog från vardera skola svarade på intervjufrågorna, observationerna ägde rum samma dag i deras matsal. Observationerna skede i två steg, först observerades matsalen utan elever och efteråt med eleverna på plats för att få en helhetsbild. Vid analysen användes en riktad innehållsanalys för att leta meningar från intervjuerna och händelser från observationen som skulle passa in i kategorierna. Observationen hade kategorierna matsal utan elever, med underkategorin fysisk miljö, samt matsal med elever med under kategorierna akustik, schemaplanering och vuxnas närvaro. Intervjun hade kategorierna fysisk miljö, matsalssituation, hälsoperspektiv, delaktighet och schemaplanering. I resultatet framkom det att de två respondenterna inte kände till Livsmedelsverkets och Skolverkets rekommendationer om hur länge elever bör sitta vid bordet samt mellan vilka tider lunchen ska serveras. På den större skolan arbetar de mer aktivt med att reducera ljudnivån i matsalen än på den mindre skolan. Det beror på att det större elevantal skapar mer buller. Båda skolorna arbetar med delaktighet från elevernas håll genom elevråd. Storleken på skolan och antalet elever kan i denna studie ses som avgörande, beroende på hur mycket arbete skolan behöver lägga ner på både schemaplanering, den fysiska miljön samt delaktigheten för eleverna.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the role of leadership in creating high performance software development teams. Of specific interest were the challenges faced by the Project Manager without a software engineering background. These challenges included management of a non-visible process, planning projects with significant uncertainty, and working with teams that don’t trust their leadership. Conclusions were drawn from the author’s experience as a software development manager facing these problems and a broad literature review of experts from the software and knowledge worker management fields. The primary conclusion was that, until the next big breakthrough, gains in software development productivity resulting from technology are limited. The only way for a group to distinguish itself as performing at the highest levels is teamwork enabled by good leadership. / text

A framework is proposed for determining the least expected cost path in a schedule-based time-expanded public transit network where travel times, and thus bus arrival and departure times at stops, are stochastic. Transfer reliability is incorporated in a label-correcting algorithm with a penalty function for the expected waiting time when transferring that reflects the likelihood of making a successful transfer. The algorithm is implemented in transit assignment on an Austin, Texas test network, using actual bus arrival and departure time distributions from vehicle location data. Assignment results are compared with those of a deterministic shortest path based on the schedule and from a calibrated transit assignment model. Simulations of the network and passenger paths are also conducted to evaluate the overall path reliability. The reliable shortest path algorithm is found to penalize transferring and provide paths with improved transfer and overall reliability. The proposed model is realistic, incorporating reliability measures from vehicle location data, and practical, given the efficient shortest path approach and application to transit assignment. / text

Syftet med föreliggande avhandling är att studera användning och förekomst av lektionsbeteckningar på scheman i skolor utan en nationellt fastställd timplan, samt belysa hur elever upplever de lokala val som görs vad gäller vissa av dessa lektionsbeteckningar. Den teoretiska referensramen har sin grund i didaktikens selektionsfråga och kommunikationsfråga, och Bernsteins båda begrepp klassifikation och inramning. Avhandlingen består av två delstudier. I delstudie I analyseras, såväl kvalitativt som kvantitativt, 326 scheman från 33 skolor som på försök arbetar utan timplan. 163 scheman från skolor med timplan har analyserats i jämförande syfte. I delstudie II genomförs tio gruppintervjuer med totalt 41 elever kring tre typer av icke ämnesrelaterade lektionsbeteckningar (lagtid, verkstad och mentorstid), som är vanligt förekommande på elevers scheman. I avhandlingen visas att en mängd schemabeteckningar (170 stycken) används för att beskriva vad elever och lärare ämnar ägna sig åt. Utöver traditionella ämnen, schemaläggs arbetsmetoder, gruppbaserad tid, skriv- och lästid, social samspelstid, rekreationstid samt lektioner där eleverna involveras i val, planering och utvärdering. Den här typen av alternativa schemabeteckningar används i signifikant större utsträckning i skolorna utan timplan och i de tidigare årskurserna. När skolorna utan timplan använder alternativa beteckningar leder det huvudsakligen till schemapositioner med svagare inramning och svagare klassifikation, samt en förskjutning från innehåll mot metod/form. Eleverna upplever att lektionerna med svagare inramning och klassifikation har ett värdefullt och verklighetsanknutet innehåll, men att de inte är lika viktiga som ämnena. De upplevs ibland vara slöseri med lektionstid. Resultaten diskuteras i ljuset av annan forskning om skolor utan timplan och avhandlingens didaktiska perspektiv. / The aim of the present thesis is to study the existence and use of lesson designations on the schedules in schools that do not work according to a nationally set timetable, and to elucidate how pupils experience the local choices as regards some of these designations. The theoretical frame of reference is based on the didactical questions of selection and communication together with Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing. The thesis includes two studies. Study I is a qualitative as well as quantitative analysis of 326 schedules from 33 schools that take part in an experiment where they work without the nationally set timetable. For the purpose of comparison 163 schedules from schools following the set timetable have also been analysed. In study II ten group interviews with a total of 41 pupils are carried out concerning three types of non-subject related lesson designations (team time, workshop, and mentor time), which frequently appear on the pupils’ schedules. In the thesis it is demonstrated that a large number of lesson designations (170 in all) are used to describe what the pupils and the teachers are doing at school. Apart from traditional subjects, working methods, group-based time, time for reading and writing as well as social interaction and recreation, and lessons, where pupils are involved in selecting, planning and evaluating activities, are included on the agenda. These types of alternative lesson designations are used to a significantly higher degree in schools without a timetable and in the lower grades. The use of alternative designations at the schools without timetable primarily leads to lessons with weak framing and weak classification and, in addition, to a change of focus from content to method or form. The pupils think that lessons with weak framing and classification have a meaningful content related to their everyday life but they are not as important as the ‘real’ subjects. They are sometimes experienced as a waste of valuable lesson time. The thesis has an overall didactic perspective, and the results of the two studies are discussed in the light of previous research about schools using no set timetable.

This study examined the effects of a smoking cessation program using vouchers as reinforcers with individuals with traumatic brain injury and a history of substance abuse. The intervention was conducted at a residential facility that houses individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Vouchers were delivered contingent on reductions of carbon monoxide (CO) samples of 5 ppm or less across a shaping phase, and an abstinence induction phase. A standard pay phase was added at the end of the study to examine the effects of a standardized reinforcement scale with the abstinence criterion set at 8 ppm or less. Reductions in CO were not robust in the shaping and abstinence induction phase. The standard pay schedule showed some improvements in CO levels with less variability for two of the three participants.

SAMMANFATTNING [SV] Projektledarens ansvar i ett projekt är att leda sin projektgrupp till uppsatta mål med fastställda kravspecifikationer. Dessa mål skall vara uppnådda inom en tidsanpassad och ekonomisk ram. För att nå dessa ramar bör en projektledare tidigt planera genomförandet och upprätta en ekonomisk plan för projektet. De konsekvenser som uppstår vid komplexa projekt då projektledaren inte förfogar över tillräcklig med kompetens leder till ekonomiska förluster samt ett misslyckat projekt. Vilka kompetenser bör en projektledare behärska? På vilka sätt behärskas dessa kompetenser? Med vilka verktyg eller metoder kan kompetenserna utnyttjas vid planeringen av projekten för att undvika problem? Det är dessa frågeställningar som för ihop denna studie om projektledarens kompetensutveckling i mål av att ta fram en kompetensutvecklings modell. Studien ger en blick över projektledningens alla stadier och vad projektledarens roll är i samtliga faser. Sedan beskrivs begreppet kompetens och hur individen utvecklar sin förmåga att leda projekt. Studien har genomförts i samarbete med byggföretaget JM AB där metoden för studien består av tre moment. En omfattande litteraturstudie har genomförts där det teoretiska perspektivet runt projektledning har analyserats. Intervjuer med projektledare och platsbesök genomfördes för en djupare förståelse över hur JM AB arbetar med tidsplaner och befintliga kompetensutvecklingsplaner. Studien påvisar att projektledarna på JM AB är främst delaktiga i tidiga skeden samt det avslutande skedet. I förstudien och planeringen är de främsta arbetsuppgifterna för projektledaren att fungera som en ackvisitör, upprätta olika ekonomiska budgetar samt att ta fram en huvudtidplan för det aktuella projektet. I genomförandet är det av stor vikt att projektledaren skapar en god sammanhållning mellan de inblandade parterna. På så sätt alstras en god klarhet mellan projektmedarbetarna och produktionen effektiviseras. Vid ett projektslut är det kunden som står i fokus. Där en god kommunikation emellan kunder, projektledare samt mäklare ger upphov till de förutsättningar som kunden behöver för inflyttning är till hands. Examensarbetet konstaterar att projekt oftast blir uppdelade mellan projektmedarbetare. Detta framför krav på att projektledaren ska inneha en bred kompetens, där helhetsbilden över projektet ansågs vara en viktig del av projektledarens kompetens. Följaktligen blir att fungera som kärnan i projektet kombinerad med den sociala kompetensen en central del. Vidare fastställde examensarbetet att projektledarens kompetensutveckling först och främst sker i det dagliga arbetet. Där erfarenhet från tidigare arbeten utgjorde den största kompetensutvecklingen. Förutom erfarenhetsläran bidrar även aktiviteter som formella kurser till en kompetensutveckling hos projektledaren. Studien belyser dessutom projektledarens varierande planeringsverktyg, där även en jämförelse dras mellan planeringsverktygen Powerproject och Microsoft Project. Genom jämförelsen mellan programmen dras slutsatser angående för och nackdelarna med programmen samt hur dessa bidrar till mindre ekonomiska förluster. / A project manager's responsibility in a project is to lead the project to specified goals with defined specifications. These goals must be achieved within a time related and economic framework. To achieve these goals, a project manager needs to early plan and implement a financial plan for the project. If the project manager lacks sufficient competence it may result in financial losses and failed project.  The present thesis was accomplished in collaboration with the construction company, JM AB, and the study consists of three parts. An extensive literature review has been conducted in which the theoretical perspective around the project have been analyzed. Interviews with project managers and site visits were conducted in order to achieve a deeper understanding of how JM works with timetables and existing competency development plans. The study shows that the project manager at JM AB is primarily involved in the early stages and the final stage of the project planning. Furthermore, this thesis showed that the project manager's skills development first of all takes place in daily work. In addition, the results showed that experience from previous work constitutes the most important skills development for the project managers and that activities such as formal courses also a contribute to stronger competence for the project manager.

The following report describes the conceptualization, pre-production, production and post-production of the film The Remnants of Civilization & The Dawn of Anxiety. It also contains the original film script and shooting schedule as supplemental material. / text