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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Decisions'
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Tatlılıoğlu, Kasım. "DECISIONS AND DECISION MAKING STRATEGIES IN ADOLESCENTS." Thesis, Національний авіаційний університет, 2017. https://er.nau.edu.ua/handle/NAU/48998.
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Tatlılıoğlu, Kasım. "DECISIONS AND DECISION MAKING STRATEGIES IN ADOLESCENTS." Thesis, Національний авіаційний університет, 2017. http://er.nau.edu.ua/handle/NAU/30617.
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Vrba, Martin. "DECISIONS." Master's thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta výtvarných umění, 2017. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-295732.
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Presented work tries to reflect the structure of human world, which is able to create an overman as an artificial intelligence through its self-destructive tendency. It investigates the possibilities of our imagination and if we are able to think about artificial intelligence as a sui generis continuation of human species. Hand in hand it tries to create a tension between particular ethico-political decisions and subsequent binding structure, which they implies.
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Snipes, Katherine Harwood. "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: Recreation Site Choice with Expected Congestion and Social Interaction." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1242771608.
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Snipes, Katherine H. "Decisions, decisions, decisions recreation site choice with expected congestion and social interaction /." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1242771608.
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Enoch, John. "Application of Decision Analytic Methods to Cloud Adoption Decisions." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för Industriell utveckling, IT och Samhällsbyggnad, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-25560.
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This thesis gives an example of how decision analytic methods can be applied to choices in the adoption of cloud computing. The lifecycle of IT systems from planning to retirement is rapidly changing. Making a technology decision that can be justified and explained in terms of outcomes and benefits can be increasingly challenging without a systematic approach underlying the decision making process. It is proposed that better, more informed cloud adoption decisions would be taken if organisations used a structured approach to frame the problem to be solved and then applied trade-offs using an additive utility model. The trade-offs that can be made in the context of cloud adoption decisions are typically complex and rarely intuitively obvious. A structured approach is beneficial in that it enables decision makers to define and seek outcomes that deliver optimum benefits, aligned with their risk profile. The case study demonstrated that proven decision tools are helpful to decision makers faced with a complex cloud adoption decision but are likely to be more suited to the more intractable decision situations.
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Müller, Daniel [Verfasser]. "Decision support for liner shipping network decisions / Daniel Müller." Paderborn : Universitätsbibliothek, 2018. http://d-nb.info/1171897642/34.
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Platts, Danielle. "Patients' decision making processes for uncertain, risky medical decisions." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/17546/.
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O'REILLY, CAROLYN STOTZ. "SPECIAL EDUCATION PLACEMENT DECISIONS: A BEHAVIORAL DECISION THEORY PERSPECTIVE." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/183983.
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Despite the large number of special education eligibility determinations in which school psychologists are involved, and the great deal of integration and interpretation of information that these decisions require, few investigations of the cognitive strategies that school psychologists utilize in assessing placement candidates have been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the susceptibility of school psychologists to placement decision bias. Specifically, the influence of referral information on school psychologists' subsequent evaluation and classification of a special education candidate was tested. Forty currently practicing school psychologists evaluated a bogus psychological report allegedly written about a child referred for either Gifted or Learning Disabilities (LD) placement consideration. Although all assessment data were identical, the school psychologists receiving a Gifted referral were more likely to classify the child as Gifted, and those receiving an LD referral were more likely to classify the child as LD. Additionally, the school psychologists recalled and weighted the importance of assessment data in a referral-consistent manner.
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Guerriere, Denise Noelle. "Measuring decisional conflict in substitute decision makers, mothers' decisions about initiating gastrostomy tube feeding in children." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape11/PQDD_0009/NQ41431.pdf.
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Sequeira, Movin. "Developing decision-support tools for evaluation of manufacturing reshoring decisions." Licentiate thesis, Tekniska Högskolan, Jönköping University, JTH, Industriell produktutveckling, produktion och design, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-48263.
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During last three decades, companies have offshored their manufacturing activities across international borders in order to pursue lower manufacturing costs. Despite having accomplished their purpose, companies have also suffered from issues, especially poor quality of products and a poor response to customer demand. Therefore, companies consider relocating some of the manufacturing activities back to the home country, a process that is known as manufacturing reshoring. There is paucity of scholarly attention on how manufacturing reshoring decisions are evaluated and supported. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to develop decision-support tools to evaluate manufacturing reshoring decisions. In order to fulfil this, it is important to know how industry experts reason while making manufacturing reshoring decisions (RQ1), and how their reasoning can be modeled into decision-support tools (RQ2). Therefore, three studies were conducted including a multiple case study and two modeling studies. The multiple case study addressed the criteria that are considered by the industry experts in these decisions, while the two modeling studies, based on fuzzy logic and analytical hierarchy process (AHP), used a part of these criteria to develop decision-support tools. The findings indicate that a holistic set of criteria were considered by industry experts in arriving at a manufacturing reshoring decision. A large portion of these criteria occur within competitive priority category and among them, high importance is given to quality, while low importance to sustainability. Fuzzy logic modeling was used to model the criteria from the perspective of competitive priority at an overall level. Three fuzzy logic concepts were developed to capture industry experts’ reasoning and facilitate modeling of manufacturing reshoring decisions. Furthermore, two configurations and sixteen settings were developed, of which, the best ones were identified. AHP-based tools were used to capture experts’ reasoning of the competitive priority criteria by comparing the criteria. It was observed that fuzzy logic-based tools are able to better emulate industry experts’ reasoning of manufacturing reshoring. This research contributes to theory with a holistic framework of reshoring decision criteria, and to practice with decision-support tools for evaluation of manufacturing reshoring decisions.<br>Under de tre senaste decennierna har många företag flyttat sin produktion till lågkostnadsländer för att kunna utnyttja lägre lönekostnader. Många gånger har företagen genom denna åtgärd lyckats sänka sin tillverkningskostnad men samtidigt drabbats av oförutsedda problem kopplat till exempelvis produkt-kvalitet och möjligheten att kundanpassa produkter. Hanteringen av problemen har lett till ytterligare kostnader som många gånger överstigit besparingen i tillverkningskostnad. Detta har lett till att allt fler företag börjat flytta tillbaka sin produktion till hemlandet, så kallad reshoring. Reshoring är ett ungt område där det saknas forskning gällande bland annat hur den här typen av beslut på bästa sätt kan utvärderas och vilken typ av beslutstöd som kan underlätta den här typen av beslut. Därför är syftet med den här avhandlingen är att utveckla beslutsstödverktyg för utvärdering av reshoring beslut. För att uppfylla syftet har två forskningsfrågor formulerats. Den första frågan handlar om hur industriexperter resonerar kring reshoring beslut (RQ1) medan den andra frågan handlar om hur deras resonemang kan modelleras i beslutsstödverktyg (RQ2). Tre studier har genomförts för att besvara forskningsfrågorna, en fallstudie och två modelleringsstudier. Fallstudien fokuserar på att identifiera vilka kriterier som industriexperter beaktar medan modelleringsstudierna fokuserar på att utveckla beslutstödsverktyg där en del av dessa kriterier beaktas, med hjälp av fuzzy logic och analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Resultaten från forskningen visar att industriexperter bedömer reshoring beslut utifrån ett holistiskt perspektiv. En stor del av dessa beslutskriterier finns inom konkurrenskraft kategorin och inom dessa, har industriexperterna lagt högst vikt på kvalitet och lägst vikt på hållbarhet. Genom fuzzy logic modellering modellerades kriterierna på en övergripande nivå. Tre nya fuzzy logic koncept utvecklades för att fånga experternas resonemang. Dessutom utvecklades två konfigurationer med sexton olika inställningar, och de bästa identifierades. AHP-baserade verktyg utvecklades för att fånga experternas resonemang om kriterierna för konkurrenskraft prioriteringar. Fuzzy logic-baserade verktyg kan bättre fånga experternas resonemang kring reshoring beslut. Denna forskning bidrar till teori med en holistisk lista över beslutskriterier för reshoring beslut, och till praktik med beslutsstöd verktyg för utvärdering av reshoring beslut.
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Mertens, Daniel P. "Backing into decisions: A study of thresholds in decision-making." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280369.
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Strategic decisions involving mergers and acquisitions often hinge on one or two critical evaluations. Similarly, when hiring a new manager, potential candidates are often rejected if they are lacking on a critical dimension. In my dissertation, I examined the way in which these critical dimensions are used to screen decision alternatives. Specifically, I am examining the nature of Image Theory's violation and rejection thresholds (the compatibility test) in the screening and elimination of undesirable decision options. In contrast to traditional decision theory, which focuses on choice (i.e., maximization of expected value), recent studies suggest that pre-choice screening of options may account for the greater part of one's decision activities and that choice serves merely to select the best of the options that survive screening. The point of the present research is to explore the variables that influence decision makers' appraisal of option compatibility. For example, I determined one such variable as the "killer variable", which is a feature of an option that is extreme in nature (wholly unacceptable or acceptable) to the decision maker. Its inclusion, regardless of the attractiveness of the rest of the option's features, counteracts usual decisions. My research also determined that individual features have the ability to effect the rejection, as well as the violation, threshold. My research tests this and similar hypotheses about screening.
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Andriyas, Sanyogita. "Analysis of Irrigation Decision Behavior and Forecasting Future Irrigation Decisions." DigitalCommons@USU, 2012. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1359.
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Farmers play a pivotal role in food production. To be economically successful, farmers must make many decisions during the course of a growing season about the allocation of inputs to production. For farmers in arid regions, one of these decisions is whether to irrigate. This research is the first of its kind to investigate the reasons that drive a farmer to make irrigation decisions and use those reasons/factors to forecast future irrigation decisions. This study can help water managers and canal operators to estimate short-term irrigation demands, thereby gaining information that might be useful in management of irrigation supply systems. This work presents three approaches to study farmer irrigation behavior: Bayesian belief networks (BBNs), decision trees, and hidden Markov models (HMMs). All three models are in the class of evolutionary algorithms, which are often used to analyze problems in dynamic and uncertain environments. These algorithms learn the connections between observed input and output data and can make predictions about future events. The models were used to study behavior of farmers in the Canal B command area, located in the Lower Sevier River Basin, Delta, Utah. Alfalfa, barley, and corn are the major crops in this area. Biophysical variables that are measured during the growing reasons were used as inputs to build the models. Information about crop phenology, soil moisture, and weather variables were compiled. Information about timing of irrigation events was available from soil moisture probes installed on some agricultural fields at the site. The models were capable of identifying the variables that are important in forecasting an irrigation decision, classes of farmers, and decisions with single and multi-factor effect regarding farmer behavior. The models did this across years and crops. The advantage of using these models to study a complex problem like behavior is that they do not require exact information, which can never be completely obtained, given the complexity of the problem. This study uses biophysical inputs to forecast decisions about water use. Such forecasts cannot be done satisfactorily using survey methodologies. The study reveals irrigation behavior characteristics. These conform to previous beliefs that a farmer might look at crop conditions, consult a neighbor, or irrigate on a weekend if he has a job during the week. When presented with new data, these models gave good estimates for probable days of irrigation, given the past behavior. All three models can be adequately used to explore farmers' irrigation behavior for a given site. They are capable of answering questions related to the driving forces of irrigation decisions and the classes of subjects involved in a complex process.
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Jakobsson, Marianne. "Decisions with Medium to Long-Term Consequences : Decision Processes and Structures." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Psykologiska institutionen, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-95260.
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All of us make more or less important decisions during our entire lives, in private and professional arenas. Some decisions have consequences for an individual or organization in the short term, others have long lasting consequences. This thesis concerns studies of decision processes and structures involved indecision-making with medium to long-term consequences for an organization or individual. Study I and II focus decision-making theory and judgments in procurement. Study III concerns real-life, individual career decision-making. Study I used a laboratory context for an investigation of willingness to pay (WP) for the creation of a procurement offer. Study II investigated organizational decision processes and structures of procurement of large projects in a nuclear power plant organization. Study III investigated the decision process used to make a choice between two professional training programs leading to psychotherapist certification. Study I found, that participants used a multiplicative combination of probability and profit when judging WP for the creation of a bid. Scales of subjective probability had smaller ranges than objective probability. In this context, participants were more sensitive to variation in monetary value than to probability. In Study, II it was possible to describe the procurement process in a framework of information search and decision theory. A Multi Attribute Utility Theory-inspired model was used by the staff, in the evaluations of procurement alternatives. Both compensatory (e.g. negative aspects can be compensated by positive aspects) and non-compensatory (particular “pass” levels of attributes have to be exceeded for acceptance of a choice alternative) decision rules were used. In study III it was found that a development and extension of Differentiation and Consolidation theory described individual reasons pro and con alternatives before and after the choice of a professional training program.<br><p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Submitted. </p>
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Massie, Anna Elizabeth. "Designing a graphical decision support tool to improve system acquisition decisions." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/51632.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2009.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-133).<br>System acquisition decision makers are frequently charged with choosing a single system from a set of feasible possibilities that could best fulfill the needs of their organizations. While numerous rules and regulations are already in place for both commercial and government acquisitions to ensure the acquisitions are conducted fairly, decision makers need greater support than rules and regulations alone can provide. The acquisition decision is a complex data analysis problem, where the decision maker must analyze multiple candidate systems on a number of performance and cost metrics. To understand this multivariate environment, decision makers must analyze the system data at multiple levels of reasoning. This research proposes a decision support tool that best supports system acquisition decision makers by providing them with graphical representations displaying how well candidate systems fulfill their organizations' needs. System acquisition decisions require support of three basic levels of reasoning (Data Processing, Information Aggregation, and Knowledge Synthesis) in order to perform system trade-offs on relevant system metrics. To test how well decision support tools could support system acquisition decision makers, two graphical decision support tools were designed: a traditional separable display and a new configural display named Fan Visualization (FanVis). To compare the effectiveness of FanVis against a traditional separable display, an experiment was conducted where participants answered a series of system acquisition questions across the three levels of reasoning.<br>(cont.) Analysis of the experimental results indicate that FanVis and the separable displays support a system acquisition decision maker, but to different degrees across the three levels of reasoning. Comparatively, participants tended to have higher performance on Knowledge Synthesis tasks using FanVis, while they tended to have a higher performance on Data Processing tasks using the separable display. When examining subjective measures, FanVis was the preferred tool of choice. Through use of an eye tracking device, it was further determined that participants also exhibited erratic fixation patterns on those questions that were answered incorrectly compared to those answered correctly. Further, it was determined that FanVis allowed participants to maintain more efficient gaze patterns regardless of task, whereas participants used less efficient gaze patterns in the separable display for some tasks. Additionally, participants tended to spend a greater frequency of time fixating on relevant elements in FanVis while completing Knowledge Synthesis tasks, while the opposite was true for Data Processing tasks, suggesting that performance and time spent fixating on relevant information is correlated. From the results of this experiment, a set of design implications was created for future system acquisition decision support tools.<br>by Anna Elizabeth Massie.<br>S.M.
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Burnett, Sulene. "A simplified numerical decision making toolbox for physical asset management decisions." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85626.
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Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The management of physical assets has become a popular eld of
study over recent years and is being acknowledged in multiple disciplines
world wide. In this project, research on Physical Asset Management
(PAM), maintenance and decision making are presented. PAM
is a complex subject and requires the participation of multiple disciplines
in order to successfully manage physical assets. Moreover, the
management of maintenance makes a big contribution in achieving
successful PAM. Decision making is a core element to manage maintenance
e ciently, both on strategic and operational level. Various
methods and techniques can be used to aid the decision making process
such as, using past experience, xed decision making techniques
and techniques involving numerical calculations, to mention only a
few. However, using numerical calculations to make decisions are not
very popular. This is due to various reasons, for example the inherent
complexity of the mathematics and the time required to execute such
calculations are disliked. People tend to avoid complex numerical
calculations and rather rely on past experience and discussion of circulating
opinions to make decisions. This is not ideal and can lead to
inconsistent and inaccurate decisions. In this project, the importance
of numerical decision making is researched, especially in maintenance
related decisions. The focus is placed on the simpli cation of numerical
decision making techniques with the aim to make it easy and quick
to use to support operational PAM decisions. Di erent decisions regarding PAM, especially decisions with regards
to managing maintenance in order to achieve PAM, are discussed by means of a literature study. This is done to clarify the applicability
of using numerical decision making techniques to support this
type of decisions. A few di erent available numerical techniques are
highlighted that can be used to support the decision making process.
The decisions together with numerical decision making techniques are
evaluated in order to combine the most appropriate techniques in a
simpli ed manner. The purpose of this is that it can be used by anyone
with the necessary knowledge of a speci c system or operation.
As a result a simpli ed numerical decision making toolbox is developed
that can support maintenance related decision. This toolbox is
applied to a real life situation by means of a case study, made possible
by Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats). An evaluation and
validation of the toolbox is done through the case study to conclude
wether it has value in practice or not.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bestuur van siese bates het die afgelope paar jaar 'n gewilde
studieveld geword en word erken in verskeie dissiplines reg oor die
w^ereld. In hierdie projek word navorsing gedoen oor Fisiese Bate
Bestuur (FBB), instandhouding en besluitneming. FBB is 'n komplekse
onderwerp en vereis die deelname van verskeie dissiplines om
sukses te behaal. Die bestuur van instandhouding maak 'n groot bydrae
tot suksesvolle FBB. 'n Kern element van doeltre ende instandhouding
is besluitneming, beide op strategiese en operasionele vlak.
Verskillende metodes en tegnieke kan gebruik word om die besluitnemingsproses
te ondersteun soos byvoorbeeld om gebruik te maak van
ondervinding en vorige gebeurtenisse, vaste besluitnemingstegnieke,
tegnieke wat numeriese berekeninge gebruik en nog meer. Die gebruik
van numeriese metodes om besluite te neem is nie baie gewild
nie. Dit is as gevolg van verskeie redes soos byvoorbeeld die inherente
kompleksiteit en ingewikkeldheid van die wiskunde en ook die tyd
wat benodig word om sulke berekeninge uit te voer. Mense is geneig
om ingewikkelde numeriese berekeninge te vermy en eerder staat te
maak op vorige ervaring en die bespreking van menings om besluite
te neem. Dit is nie ideaal nie en kan lei tot onkonsekwente besluite,
of selfs verkeerde besluite. In hierdie projek is die belangrikheid van
numeriese besluitneming nagevors, veral in die onderhoudsverwante
besluite. Die fokus word geplaas op die vereenvoudiging van die numeriese
besluitnemings tegnieke. Die doel is om dit op so 'n manier
te vereenvoudig dat dit maklik en vinnig is om te gebruik vir operasionele
FBB besluite. Verskillende besluite oor FBB, veral besluite met betrekking tot instandhouding
om suksesvolle FBB te bereik, word bespreek deur middel
van 'n literatuurstudie. Die literatuurstudie ondersoek die toepaslikheid
van die gebruik van numeriese besluitnemingstegnieke vir hierdie
soort besluite. 'n Paar verskillende beskikbare numeriese tegnieke wat
gebruik kan word om die besluitnemingsproses te ondersteun word uitgelig.
Die besluite, saam met numeriese besluitnemingtegnieke, word
ge evalueer om die mees gepaste tegnieke te kombineer in 'n vereenvoudigde
manier. Uiteindelik moet dit deur enige iemand met die
nodige kennis van 'n spesi eke stelsel of proses gebruik kan word.
As resultaat is 'n vereenvoudigde numeriese besluitnemingstegniekkombinasie
ontwikkel wat besluite verwant aan instandhouding kan
ondersteun. Hierdie tegniek-kombinasie word toegepas in 'n werklike
situasie deur middel van 'n gevallestudie, wat moontlik gemaak is deur
Anglo American Platinum Limited. 'n Evaluering en validering van
die tegniek-kombinasie word gedoen in die gevallestudie om te bepaal
of dit wel waarde het in die praktyk of nie.
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Loo, Steve C. K. (Chung Keung Steve) Carleton University Dissertation Management Studies. "An examination of the decision making process in AMT investment decisions." Ottawa, 1987.
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Müller-Trede, Johannes. "Advisors and groups: essays in social decision making." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/81075.
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The three chapters of this thesis investigate social aspects of judgment and decision making. Chapter One analyses the consequences of making decisions based on predictions of future well-being, and the conditions under which advice can improve these decisions. It shows that an interaction between errors in affective forecasts and the choice process leads to suboptimal decisions and disappointment, and establishes conditions under which advice reduces these effects. The second chapter investigates the boundaries of the result that eliciting more than one estimate from the same person and averaging these can lead to accuracy gains in judgment tasks. It reveals that the technique works only for specific kinds of questions, and people are reluctant to average their initial answers when asked for a final estimate. Finally, Chapter Three reviews experimental results regarding individual and small group behaviour in strategic decision tasks and provides a theoretical framework to analyse the observed differences.<br>Aquesta tesi investiga diferents aspectes socials de la presa de decisions. El primer capítol analitza les decisions preses en base a les prediccions del benestar futur, i en quines situacions els consells d’altres persones poden millorar aquestes decisions. Es mostra que una interacció entre el procés de l’elecció i les imperfeccions de les prediccions condueix a decisions subòptimes i a la decepció, i s’estableixen les condicions sota les quals els consells redueixen aquests efectes. El segon capítol investigaels casos en què les persones poden millorar les seves prediccions numèriques donant més d’una estimació i prenent-ne la mitjana. A base d’un experiment, es mostra que la tècnica funciona només amb determinats tipus de preguntes, i que les persones són averses a prendre mitjanes de les seves estimacions inicials quan es pregunta per una estimació final. L’últim capítol revisa els resultats experimentals referents a la presa de decisions estratègiques de la persona individual comparats amb els de la persona que forma part d’un grup reduït i proporciona un marc teòric en el que analitza les diferències que s’observen en el seu comportament
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Hemert, Otto Anthonie Christoffel van. "Dynamic investor decisions." [Amsterdam] : Amsterdam : Thela Thesis ; Universiteit van Amsterdam [Host], 2006. http://dare.uva.nl/document/23503.
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Jansen, Antonius Gradus Johannes. "Architectural design decisions." [S.l. : Groningen : s.n. ; University Library of Groningen] [Host], 2008. http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/314295305.
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Murray, Dylan. "Decisions as Performatives." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2010. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/philosophy_theses/72.
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Decisions are performatives - or at least, they share important features with performative utterances that can elucidate our theory of what type of thought they are, and what they do. Namely, decisions have an analogous force to that of performatives, where the force of a propositional attitude or utterance is constituted by (i) its point, or purpose, which is mainly a matter of its direction-of-fit, and (ii) its felicity conditions. The force of both decisions and performatives is to bring into being the states of affairs represented in their intentional contents, merely in virtue of the decision or performative’s occurrence and the satisfaction of the felicity conditions they presuppose. The first chapter of the thesis explicates this general framework, and the second and third attempt to show some of the work it can do for a theory of decisions.
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Pink, Thomas Leonard Montague. "Desires and decisions." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.293809.
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Ma, Tao. "Corporate dividend decisions." Thesis, City University London, 2012. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/1947/.
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The main aims and objectives of my thesis are to test the various conflicting hypotheses developed in the previous literature to explain firms’ dividend policy, focusing specifically on IPOs and cross-country analysis. In particular, I explore the theoretical links in the context of the important dividend theories including signalling, agency costs, lifecycle and catering and then empirically test the hypotheses by using a very large dataset of UK IPOs from 1990 to 2010, which is extracted from offering prospectuses. The first empirical study focuses on two aspects of post-IPO decision-making: the decision to initiate dividends and the timing of dividend initiation. I develop the testable hypotheses by linking the dividend decisions of IPOs with a number of firm characteristics and IPO-specific factors in the context of the theories relating to dividends and IPO. I find a strong negative relation between underpricing and the propensity of dividend initiation. This finding is in line with the implications of Dividend Discount Model and Rock’s (1986) “winner’s curse”. My results show that the likelihood of initiating dividends is positively associated with managerial ownership, underwriter reputation, firm size, profitability and long-term debt ratio. In addition, the results show that the initiation propensity is negatively influenced by a serial of factors including the length of lockup period, VC backing, managerial stock option, growth opportunities of IPOs, technology intensity, and selection of growth stock exchange (i.e. AIM). Finally, I find that the IPOs issued in the years when the market put a price premium on dividend paying payers are more likely to pay dividend after IPO and initiate dividends earlier. Overall, my results show that IPO characteristics relate to dividend decisions of IPOs through miscellaneous mechanisms of dividends. The most homogeneous results are associated with the life cycle and catering theories. There is also some empirical evidence in support of signaling and agency theory. The second empirical study examines the determinants on the dividend policies stated in IPO prospectuses. At the stage of preparing for IPO, pre-IPO financial status is very likely to influence the initial dividend policies. My results provide strong evidence that IPOs that experienced superior performance in profitability and cash inflow from operating activities during pre-IPO period tend to make active dividend policies relatively, consistent with the implication of Lintner (1956) and Benartzi, Michaely and Thaler (1997). My results also show that IPOs with higher turnover ratio and lower capital expenditures tend to choose more active dividend policies when going public, consistent with residual theory and free cash flow hypothesis. In addition, the possibility of choosing relatively active dividend strategies at IPO stage is negatively associated with VC backing, length of full lock-up restriction period, stock option, technology focus, and institutional ownership. In contrast, IPOs with more reputable underwriters tend to declare relatively active dividend policy in prospectuses. The evidence relating to long-term debt ratio and managerial ownership is weak. Moreover, IPOs issued in the ‘internet bubble’ period or in 2000s opt for relatively conservative dividend strategies. The overall results in this empirical chapter support lifecycle theory, substitution assumption-based agency theory and free cash flow hypothesis, while the evidence on signaling and catering theories is mixed. Furthermore, my results support the conjecture that IPOs with active dividend policies release sufficient information through dividend policies declared in offering prospectuses and therefore their formal dividend initiations fail to shock the market. I find that dividend- paying companies outperform non-dividend paying counterparts during three post-IPO years, indicating that non-dividend initiating IPOs rather than dividend-initiating ones account for the decline in long-run underperformance. Additionally, I find evidence in support of the conjecture that the dividend policies stated in prospectuses communicate the information, and thus reduce the possibilities that outside investors are overoptimistic over the prospect of the invested companies and that managers overstate the pre-IPO financial data at IPO stage. The third empirical study examines the trends in dividend policies across seven western countries: U.S., Candada, U.K., Germany, France, Japan and Hong Kong. In general, the proportion of dividend paying firms fell significantly from 1989 through to the early 2000s, with the exception of Japanese firms. Thereafter, the percentage reverted slightly in the US, Canada, Japan and in Hong Kong, but continued to decrease in UK, France, and Germany. In contrast, the aggregate amount of dividends increased continuously across countries and firms retained stable dividend payout ratios, and total payout ratios relatively. Share repurchases took over from dividends as the dominant payout method in the US and the increasing importance of repurchases is observed in Canada and in the UK as well. A declining propensity to pay dividends is seen in all the sample countries apart from in Japan, controlling for key firm characteristics. I find that the likelihood that firms payout dividends or repurchase shares positively correlates with firm’s size, profitability and the ratio of earned/contributed capital, and negatively related to long-term debt ratio. The impact of growth opportunities on payout decisions is not uniform across countries, in line with Denis and Osobov (2008). There is some evidence that cash holdings have a negative relation with the probability of paying dividends and a positive relation with the probability of buying back shares. There is also some evidence that R&D expenditure and technology intensity have a negative influence on a firm’s tendency to pay dividends, but such influence is country-dependent. The effect of M&A on the incidence of payouts is highly country-dependant. For example, US acquirers are reluctant to pay dividends while UK acquirers are more likely to pay dividends. I also examine the determinants of the amounts of corporate payouts. Profitability, growth rate of total assets, and retained earnings are important positive factors in determining dividend amounts. Market to book ratio have a significantly positive effect on both dividend amounts and the repurchase amounts, consistent with Lee and Suh (2011), Alzahrani and Lasfer (2012). Finally, the empirical tests using Lintner model indicate that the link between cash dividends and earnings has weakened, in support of Choe (1990) and Brav, Graham, Harvey, and Michaely (2005). In line with Eije and Megginson (2008), the data demonstrates that dividends are still responsive to earnings. Overall, the evidence in this empirical chapter supports agency cost-based lifecycle theory.
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Pourrezajourshari, Saba. "Lifecycle Affordability Decisions." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2016. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862724/.
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SpaceX as aerospace manufacturer and space transport service technology company work along to make reusable rockets, their long term plan is to make spaceflight affordable routine. Elon Musk, as CEO, is involved in every step of decision making as he has mentioned in interviews. The rocket's engine has undergone a number of improvements, and to increase its efficiency and power, a number of parts has been reduced. The redesigning process involves several decisions, such as in-house or out-source production. This research provides a practical framework for contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers to build a more reliable, affordable, and low cost supply chain. As a result, the objective of my dissertation is to explore how managers can extend the useful life of their assets and reduce their total cost of ownership. The main research focus for this dissertation is lifecycle affordability (LCA) for capital intensive products when post production costs are significantly higher than production costs. Lifecycle cost is often not considered by firms in a product, service or asset when making acquisition decisions. Firm's acquisition are mainly based on the initial cost of the product. Decision making without considering the entire lifecycle cost of a product impacts the firm's profitability, revenue, pricing strategies, and competitiveness. Evaluating the trade-offs between all the costs involved in the product lifecycle can help firms to have an estimation of costs before making any acquisition decisions. To address these challenges, lifecycle affordability (LCA) considerations can enable firms to focus their decisions on their long-term investment process rather than trying to save on initial cost of purchasing a product. This dissertation presents the following research question: how has lifecycle affordability been represented in supply chain research to date? And what are constructs of lifecycle affordability? To address this research question, the dissertation is comprised of three separate essays. The first essay conducts literature review method to provide a framework for lifecycle affordability that reduces the total lifecycle cost while maintaining the reliability and efficiency of the capital equipment, and identify existing research gaps and future LCA research ideas. The second essay is constructed on a survey-based method and investigations how homeowners' lack of understanding lifecycle cost, and long-term affordability affects their dissatisfaction with the home purchase. A regression model is developed to study the factors that explain Homebuyers' lack of understanding cost, and affordability considerations. The third essay developed an agent-based model (ABM) to study small medium businesses (SMB) when the business organization and the community is hit by a disaster. The objective of the study is to investigate the resiliency and lifecycle affordability management of the community and the small medium businesses.
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Schooneveldt, Jan C., and n/a. "Context and choice : a new approach to making ecologically sustainable decisions." University of Canberra. Resource, Environmental & Heritage Sciences, 2000. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061107.172651.
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This thesis develops a framework for making ecologically sustainable decisions. It is an
integrative thesis that draws its data from the fundamental concepts underlying the disciplines
of psyschology, linguistics and biology. Its orientation is essentially theoretical, but its
application is practical. It is presented in three parts. Part 1 sets out the theoretical context
and proposes a basis for understanding decision-making processes in an interactive,
evolutionary context. This part focuses particularly on subjective factors that play a role when
an organism is in the process of making a decision. Part 1 provides an underpinning for the
core of the thesis.
Part 2 forms this core. It considers the context in which decisions are made and
overviews current decision-making frameworks that aim at ecologically sustainable
outcomes. It proposes a process of metabolic mapping of materials and energy flows
across integrated socio-political bioregions as a basis for decision-making.
Part 3 considers the implications of the approach in terms of its utility, reliability and
validity. This part also looks at the role of ethics in decision-making and outlines the
strengths and weaknesses of the new approach.
The principle rinding is that research and decision-making are fundamentally distinct, often
confused concepts. An integrative approach to decision-making is required to counter the
increasing fragmentation in research and professional and administrative specialisation. A
research tool that bridges the plethora of theoretical orientations is proposed. This involves
the use of a semantic metalanguage to capture meaning in a rigorous and verifiable way. Such
a metalanguage gives us a means of understanding the subjective experience of organisms,
and in particular, their subjective perception of reality which guides their decision-making. A
second finding is that, unlike research, which necessarily involves a process of context
reduction, sound decision-making necessarily involves a process of context augmentation. And
finally it proposes a method of metabolic mapping on a bioregional basis operating under the
principle of subsidiarity as the most appropriate route towards sustainable decision-making.
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Wood, Elizabeth. "Women's decisions and decisional conflict regarding long term hormone replacement therapy." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/9800.
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Long term preventive hormone replacement therapy (LTP-HRT) is attracting considerable attention for its potential in reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis associated fractures in post-menopausal women. The study objectives were: (1) to describe women's decisions and decisional conflict regarding LTP-HRT after being presented with the evidence of benefits and risks and clarifying values; (2) to describe the difference between those who accept or decline LTP-HRT in terms of: (a) expectations of LTP-HRT benefits and risks, and (b) the importance women attach to the benefits and the risks; and (3) to describe the factors women identify as contributing to their decision to take or not take LTP-HRT or being unsure about taking LTP-HRT. The typical woman who participated in the study was 57 years of age; had some post secondary education; and was currently using HRT. Over half the women had at least one CHD risk factor and had a hysterectomy. Less than 15% of the respondents reported having osteoporosis or a first degree relative with breast cancer. Women's decisions to take LTP-HRT were distributed as follows: 56% yes; 26% no; and 18% unsure. Women who accepted or declined LTP-HRT did not have statistically significant differences in expectations of risk of CHD, osteoporosis, and breast cancer with and without hormone therapy. In contrast, women's importance ratings of LTP-HRT benefits and side effects did differ significantly between those accepting and declining LTP-HRT. The reasons most often identified by women who chose LTP-HRT were prevention of CHD and osteoporosis (61%) and relief of hot flashes (54%). Those who chose not to take LTP-HRT gave reasons such as dislike of taking pills (47%), and risk of cancer (11%). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
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Raghuram, Pillai Preethi. "Decisional conflict among adolescents and parents making decisions about genomic results." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1553528736920897.
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Agarwal, Deepti Medhi Deepankar. "Roaming decisions presentation models for smart devices in a decision support system /." Diss., UMK access, 2005.
Find full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.S.)--School of Computing and Engineering. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2005.<br>"A thesis in computer science." Typescript. Advisor: Deep Medhi. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed May 30, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-93). Online version of the print edition.
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Broadhurst, Karen. "Help-seeking decisions and child welfare : an exploration of situated decision making." Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2005. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9734/.
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Family support services aim to support parents and carers with the task of bringing up children; these services consistently report problems, however, in attracting helpseekers. Despite recent developments within child-welfare towards the provision of family-friendly services, self-referral rates remain low constituting at best 30% of all referrals. Agencies also report that families are reluctant to take up services following third party (frequently professional) referral. Despite these consistent findings the extant literature on help-seeking offers few insights into how social actors, in the face of family problems, make choices between the available sources of help. Within the extant literature studies consistently report that families prefer 'informal' support but few insights are offered about how such decisions are made and how preference is organised in relation to diverse sources of support. In this thesis and focusing on talk about `help-seeking' in focus group and interview settings, analysis centres on exploring the accountable properties of situated decision-making. From analysis of situated talk, the study offers insights and raises questions for further research that may assist family support agencies to more appropriately tailor their services to meet the needs of service users. The present study is much inspired by the work of Harvey Sacks in particular his development of Membership Categorisation Analysis. In making use of Hester and Eglin's occasioned model of MCA (1997) it has been possible to explore practical reasoning in and through the local, sequential and categorical organisation of talk. Analysis of situated decision-making, in relation to the topic 'help-seeking', finds decision-making a highly organised practical activity such that any social actor canmake an 'educated' guess about who, another, would suggest as a first category for help. Research participants, in deciding who should hypothetically be approached first for help, constituted a socially sanctioned order to help-seeking characterised by first-position category pairs and last-position category pairs. Use of, or reference to, prior knowledge of help-seeking encounters was also identified as a key decision making resource. This thesis concludes with a policy discussion and raises a number of speculative comments arising from the study that are relevant for the development of child welfare services. A number of avenues are suggested for further research, in particular questions are asked about the continued practice and emphasis within child-welfare services on professional social diagnosis, with the attendant neglect of help-seeking as a socially organised activity. The study suggests that future research might centre on further analysis of how 'family support' is organised within the family and prior to professional intervention. It is also suggested that further research examine the possibilities of response to requests for help as a better starting point for service delivery, rather than professional detection of 'problems'.
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Lundgren, Rebecka. "A Repeatable Multi-Criteria Decision Model for Social Housing Asset Intervention Decisions." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för datavetenskap och samhällsbyggnad, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-29769.
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This report describes a case study where a multi criteria decision model is used to make decisions regarding asset interventions for four social housing complexes, similar in terms of issues and possible interventions, at Christchurch City Council. The value judgements from the decision makers and their advisors that were necessary for creating the decision model were elicited through three workshops; selecting aspects, weighting and rating and lastly reviewing the output. An analysis performed shows that the decision model is logically consistent and does not suffer from the rank reversal phenomenon. The validation of the model also included creating four individual decision models, one for each social housing complex, comparing the results of applying the joint model and the individual models, and revisiting and reconsidering the value judgments made in the different models when discrepancies were found. This included utility difference analysis and asking trade-off questions to the decision makers. Part of the validation was also to get acceptance of the output of the joint model from the social housing team. Applying the decision model on the four social housing complexes and receiving an output which is accepted by the social housing team suggests that the aggregated model can be used for future decision problems of the same kind, provided that they are within the set level ranges of the aspects. Since the decision model is transparent in terms of which values or priorities have been applied and which prerequisites must be met in order to apply the model to future decisions, it is possible to use the decision model as a ‘live model’ with adjustment being made to it when required.
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Whittle, Rosemary Anne. "Decisions, decisions: factors that influence student selection of final year clinical placements." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Education, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/1057.
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Clinical practice is an essential and integral component of nursing education. The decision-making process involved in student selection of clinical placements is influenced by a range of factors which are internal or external to students. As there was little research that explored these factors and the influence they have on student decisions, I wanted to investigate this further. A mixed-method approach was used, using a questionnaire and focus group interview, to give breadth and depth to the research. This study found that students are particularly influenced by previous positive experiences, or an interest in a particular area of practice. Their personality will also influence their placement decisions. Nurse preceptors and clinical lecturers also provide a key support role to students in the clinical environment.
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Miller, Susan J. "Successfully implementing strategic decisions : the implementation of top level decisions in organizations." Thesis, University of Bradford, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/2816.
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This thesis investigates the implementation of eleven strategic decisions in six organizations. The decisions concern the installation of new technology, the carrying out of various building programmes and the re-organization of organizational structures The organizations comprise a university, a water authority, two mail order companies and two chemical firms. The objective is to describe and explain implementation processes and outcomes. To this end, eleven independent variables and three dependent variables are distinguished. These conceptualise the success of implementation outcomes and define the factors which affect the level of success. Two groupings are isolated within the independent variables. The 'Enabler' group of variables is concerned with how familiar people are with what has to be implemented, the priority of implementation, having enough resources available, having a favourable organizational structure and maintaining a flexible approach during implementation. All these factors help to secure a moderate degree of success. However the second grouping of variables - the 'Realizers' - are required to achieve the highest level of success in implementation. These are to do with being clear about what has to be done and being able to evaluate what has been achieved, enjoying favourable conditions and support inside the organization, and having a little luck along the way. Conclusions are drawn about the levels of risk associated with implementing different topics and the steps which managers can take to reduce risk and enhance the chances of success.
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Danylenko, Antonina. "Decisions : Algebra and Implementation." Licentiate thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för datavetenskap, fysik och matematik, DFM, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-16283.
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Processing decision information is a constitutive part in a number of applicationsin Computer Science fields. In general, decision information can be used to deduce the relationship between a certain context and a certain decision. Decision information is represented by a decision model that captures this information. Frequently used examples of decision models are decision tables and decision trees. The choice of an appropriate decision model has an impact on application performance in terms of memory consumption and execution time. High memory expenses can possibly occur due to redundancy in a decision model; and high execution time is often a consequence of an unsuitable decision model. Applications in different domains try to overcome these problems by introducing new data structures or algorithms for implementing decision models. These solutions are usually domain-specificand hard to transfer from one domain to another. Different application domains of Computer Science often process decision information in a similar way and, hence, have similar problems. We should thus be able to present a unifying approach that can be applicable in all application domains for capturing and manipulating decision information. Therefore, the goal of this thesis is (i) to suggest a general structure(Decision Algebra) which provides a common theoretical framework that captures decision information and defines operations (signatures) for storing, accessing, merging, approximating, and manipulating such information along with some general algebraic laws regardless of the used implementation. Our Decision Algebra allows defining different construction strategiesfor decision models and data structures that capture decision information as implementation variants, and it simplifies experimental comparisons between them. Additionally, this thesis presents (ii) an implementation of Decision Algebra capturing the information in a non-redundant way and performing the operations efficiently. In fact, we show that existing decision models that originated in the field of Data Mining and Machine Learning and variants thereof as exploited in special algorithms can be understood as alternative implementation variants of the Decision Algebra by varying the implementations of the Decision Algebra operations. Hence, this work (iii) will contribute to a classification of existing technology for processing decision information in different application domains of Computer Science.<br><p>A thesis for the Degree of Licentiate of Philosophy in Computer Science.</p>
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Proudley, Mae Amber, and mae proudley@rmit edu au. "Fire, Families and Decisions." RMIT University. Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20090629.102324.
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This research explores the life experiences of families and couples who lived through the Wangary fire (South Australia, January 2005). Examining the bushfire experience from a domestic perspective is long overdue. Open-ended interviews were conducted with thirty-eight couples and families across the fire-affected region on the Lower Eyre Peninsula. A shortlist of fourteen were analysed in detail and they form the foundation of this thesis. These bushfire narratives include the perspectives of farming and non-farming families and cover a wide spectrum of circumstances and demographics. Five of the fourteen families lost their homes in the Wangary fire. Critical decision-making and the presence of children is at the heart of this case study. How the presence of babies and young children influences family decision-making, in advance of or during a bushfire, has not been considered or studied in any detail within the Australian research landscape. Exploring the differences of experience between women with young families and older women confirms the primary weakness of the national bushfire safety ('stay or go') policy. Gender and generation were the two defining factors that informed how people responded to and recovered from the Wangary fire. The perspective of younger people, within the context of bushfire research, has been neglected in the past; this case study incorporates their views and thoughts. It is hoped that insights gleaned from these bushfire narratives will encourage the enhancement of the national 'stay or go' policy.
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Tan, Richard Hong Kwang. "Factors affecting gambling decisions." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Psychology, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/6817.
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A comparison of the personality profiles of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) members, social gamblers and non-gamblers on the 16 PF, EPQ and Rotter's I-E Scale showed only that GA members scored significantly higher than both social gamblers and non-gamblers on the Neuroticism Scale of the EPQ.
Other factors considered to be influential in gambling decisions were investigated. There were no significant differences in the risk-taking behaviour of high compared to low locus of control subjects but the risk taken and the recall of gambling decisions by internals and externals were sensitive to information on luck. Although gambling was shown not to be a stimulus-bound activity in the traditional sense, the presence of gambling cues increased risk-taking in social gamblers but lowered risk-taking in non-gamblers. Reinforcement history, especially the ratio of the number of wins and losses, the immediately preceding outcomes and runs of wins and losses were shown to be influential in the staking behaviour and the confidence in gambling of both social gamblers and non-gamblers.
Personality and situational factors did not adequately account for the differences in risk-taking decisions. Physiological variations altered risk-taking within criterion groups. Moreover, different forms of arousal were shown to have different effects on risk-taking behaviour of social gamblers and non-gamblers. Significant interactions between arousal, gambling cues and reinforcement history suggested that a diversity of variables are important in determining gambling decisions rather than simply being under the control of economic or personality factors. There is some evidence which suggests that differences in levels of arousal may be an important underlying factor in describing the differences between social gamblers and non-gamblers.
The repertory grid technique was explored as a research tool departing from the traditional methods of enquiry into gambling. The overall finding was that social gamblers construed gambling as a positive activity while non-gamblers construed gambling negatively.
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Jambulapati, Vikram. "Financial decisions of households." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109689.
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Thesis: S.M. in Management Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2017.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 22-23).<br>Left-digit bias refers to the tendency of individuals to focus attention on the leftmost digit of numerical information when making decisions. This paper tests for the existence of left-digit bias in the consumer credit card market. Using a regression-discontinuity design, I find sharp increases in credit card repayments around $1,000 monthly balance thresholds. The estimated effect, an approximately $20 increase in repayment, translates to about 4.35 percent of the average payment. However, I find smaller effects on future repayment behavior and the amount of future purchases. Finally, I find the effect to be stronger in higher self-reported income groups..<br>by Vikram Jambulapati.<br>S.M. in Management Research
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Valciukaite, Diana, and Orhan Mesinovic. "Supporting manufacturing reallocation decisions." Thesis, Tekniska Högskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, JTH, Industriell organisation och produktion, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-31025.
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During past decades manufacturing companies started opening new plants and transfer their manufacturing to other countries in order to increase their competitiveness in the market. An important area in today’s complex business environment became manufacturing location decisions that have a direct impact on companies’ future success. Many scholars introduced suggestions in what factors should be considered in manufacturing location decisions when opening new plants. However, less research has been done by identifying what critical factors should be considered in manufacturing reallocation[1] decisions when a company operates within a manufacturing footprint and intends to move manufacturing activities between existing plants. In order to fulfil this gap the study was conducted by developing a conceptual framework for supporting manufacturing reallocation decisions. The main factors, evaluation and effects were explored. In order to conduct the study three cases were analysed in two Swedish manufacturing companies, where one of the companies was currently executing a manufacturing reallocation to another plant. It was found that sometimes companies are forced to reallocate manufacturing unwillingly due to currency value changes or local governmental regulations. A tendency was noticed that some of the factors are considered at the strategic level and some are left to be handled at the operational level. However, operational level factors have a great impact on the long term strategy and future costs and should be included when making manufacturing reallocation decisions. The evaluation of factors is mostly based on assumptions and intuition. Only evaluations of economic factors are based on facts. Improvements of economic factors’ evaluations could be made by closer collaboration between plants and involvement of the right people at the right time during data collection before making a decision. Manufacturing reallocations could have effects on the sending plant and long term strategy that increases the importance to include it during decision making since hidden costs and future risks could be prevented. Finally, the conceptual framework for manufacturing reallocations is presented that could be used as a support for manufacturing reallocation decisions. [1] to assign or allot to a different place from the one originally intended.
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Bernard, de Lajartre Anne-Sophie. "L'execution des decisions prud'homales." Nantes, 1994. http://www.theses.fr/1994NANT4013.
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L'execution des decisions prud'homales obeit au regime de l'execution en general. Ainsi, seule l'acquisition de la force executoire peut permettre la mise en oeuvre de l'execution. Et cette force executoire necessite le respect de certaines conditions : la notification, l'absence d'effet suspensif et de delai de grace accorde au debiteur. Compte tenu du caractere souvent alimentaire des sommes dues, beaucoup de decisions sont assorties de l'execution provisoire de droit, ce qui permet de deroger a l'effet suspensif de l'appel. Mais il existe une certaine confusion avec l'execution provisoire ordonnee qui decoule du pouvoir discretionnaire des juges et qui de ce fait doit offrir de serieuses protections au debiteur. Cette confusion constitue une premiere source de difficultes. Quant a la notification, l'exercice d'une voie de recours ou l'octroi d'un delai de grace, leurs conditions d'applications constituent souvent une seconde source de difficultes. La mise en oeuvre de l'execution des decisions prud'homales pose surtout le probleme du manque de regles specifiques. Malgre les efforts importants de simplification operes par la loi du 9 juillet 1991, les procedures d'execution ne sont pas suffisamment adaptees. Lorsqu'au contraire des systemes originaux ont ete adoptes, ils fonctionnent relativement bien. C'est le cas des a. G. S. Qui n'existe qu'en matiere de redressement ou de liquidation judiciaire. En revanche, la reintegration a la suite d'un licenciement nul est une sanction desormais bien acceptee par les juges. Mais elle ne peut etre effective que si la decision l'ordonnant a ete prise rapidement<br>The enforcement of an industrial tribunal's decisions follows the general principle of enforcement. Thus, the acquisition of executory force can allow the implementation of this execution. And this executory force necessitates the respect of certain conditions : notification, absence of suspensive effect and period of grace awarded to the debtor. In the light of the often "maintenance" aspect of the sums due, many decisions are accompanied with provisional execution as of right, which enables a departure from the suspensive effect of an appeal. But there exists a certain confusion with a prescribed provisional execution which derives from the judge's dicretionary power and which therefore must give the debtor serious protection. This confusion constitutes a first source of difficulties. As for the notification, the exercise of an appeal or the granting of a period of grace, their conditions of application often constitute a second source of difficulties. The implementation of the execution of an industrial tribunal's decision raises above all the problem of a lack of specific rules. Despite the important efforts of simplification brought about by the law of july 9th 1991, the procedures of execution are not sufficiently adapted. When, on the contrary, the original systems have been adapted, they operate relatively well. This is the case for "ags" which exist only in bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation. On the other hand, reinstatement after the annulment of a redundancy is a sanction that is henceforth well accepted by judges. But it can be effective only if the decision ordering it has been come to rapidly
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Tommasi, Denni. "On Couples and Decisions." Doctoral thesis, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2013/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/283323.
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In Chapter 1, which is co-authored with Rossella Calvi and Arthur Lewbel, we show that a local average treatment effect (LATE) can sometimes be identified and consistently estimated when treatment is mismeasured, or when treatment is estimated using a possibly misspecified structural model. Our associated estimator, which we call Mismeasurement Robust LATE (MR-LATE), is based on differencing two different mismeasures of treatment. In our empirical application, treatment is a measure of empowerment: whether a wife has control of substantial household resources. Due to measurement difficulties and sharing of goods within a household, this treatment cannot be directly observed without error, and so must be estimated. Our outcomes are health indicators of family members. We first estimate a structural model to obtain the otherwise unobserved treatment indicator. Then, using changes in inheritance laws in India as an instrument, we apply our new MR-LATE estimator. We find that women's empowerment substantially decreases their probability of being anemic or underweight, and increases children's likelihood of receiving vaccinations. We find no evidence of negative effects on men's health. Then, using changes in inheritance laws in India as an instrument, we apply our new MR-LATE estimator. We find that women's empowerment substantially decreases their probability of being anemic or underweight, and increases children's likelihood of receiving vaccinations.In Chapter 2, which is co-authored with Alexander Wolf, we take the Dunbar et al (2013) (DLP) model and explore its strength and weaknesses at recovering information regarding household sharing of resources. DLP develop a collective model of the household that allows to identify resource shares, that is, how total household resources are divided up among household members. We show why, especially when the data exhibit relatively flat Engel curves, the model is weakly identified and induces high variability and an implausible pattern in least squares estimates. We propose an estimation strategy nested in their framework that greatly reduces this practical impediment to recovery of individual resource shares. To achieve this, we follow a shrinkage method that incorporates additional (or out-of-sample) information on singles and relies on mild assumptions on preferences. We show the practical usefulness of this strategy through a series of Monte Carlo simulations and by applying it to Mexican data. The results show that our approach is robust, gives a plausible picture of the household decision process, and is particularly beneficial for the practitioner who wishes to apply the DLP framework.Finally, in Chapter 3, which is co-authored with Bram De Rock and Tom Potoms, we exploit the experimental set-up of a conditional cash transfers (CCT) program in Mexico to estimate a collective model of the household and to investigate how parents allocate household resources. This is important to understand because the success of policies aimed at fighting poverty depends crucially on how parents respond to monetary incentives. If parents allocate resources inefficiently (or non-cooperatively), the resulting level of well-being is likely to fall behind the socially efficient optimum. This is undesirable given the prevalence of CCT programs over the last two decades which have occupied a large percentage of governments' annual anti-poverty budgets. Although there is evidence that they have been beneficial, their effectiveness may still be limited. Our aim is to tackle this research question by estimating a theoretically-consistent demand system and by applying at best a powerful test of household efficiency developed by Bourguignon et al (2009). Contrary to previous results, we show that households make efficient decisions only at the beginning of the program, but fail to cooperate later on. In order to rationalize these results, we propose a simple model of household behaviour where decision makers may change their preferences as a result of a treatment that gives information about the importance of a public good.<br>Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion<br>info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished
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Blandford, Ann. "Design, decisions and dialogue." Thesis, Open University, 1991. http://oro.open.ac.uk/57316/.
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This thesis presents a design for an Intelligent Educational System to support the teaching of design evaluation in engineering. The design consists of a simple computerbased tool (or 'learning environment') for displaying and manipulating infonnation used in the course of problem solving, with a separate dialogue component capable of discussing aspects of the problem and of the problem solving strategy with the user. Many of the novel features of the design have been incorporated in a prototype system called WOMBAT. The main focus of this research has been on the design of the dialogue component. The design of the dialogue component is based on ideas taken from recent work on rational agency. The dialogue component has expertise in engaging in dialogues which support collaborative problem solving (involving system and user) in domains characterised as justified beliefs. It is capable of negotiating about what to do next and about what beliefs to take into account in problem solving. The system acquires problem-related beliefs by applying a simple plausible reasoning mechanism to a database of possible beliefs. The dialogue proceeds by turn-taking in which the current speaker constructs their chosen utterance (which may consist of several propositions and questions) and explicitly indicates when they have finished. When it is the system's turn to make an utterance, it decides what to say based on its beliefs about the current situation and on the likely utility of the various possible responses which it considers appropriate in the circumstances. Two aspects of the problem solving have been fully implemented. These are the discussion about what criteria a decision should be based on and the discussion about what decision step should be taken next. The system's contributions to the interaction are opportunistic, in the sense that at a dialogue level the system does not try to plan beyond the current utterance, and at a problem solving level it does not plan beyond the next action. The results of a formative evaluation of WOMBAT, in which it was exposed to a number of engineering educators, indicate that it is capable of engaging in a coherent dialogue, and that the dialogue is seen to have a pedagogical purpose. Although the approach of reasoning about the next action opportunistically has not proved adequate at a problem solving level, at a dialogue level it yields good results.
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Strasser, Mark. "The development of a fuzzy decision-support system for dairy cattle culling decisions." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ29794.pdf.
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Moreira, Pedro. "Mental frames and human decisions : determinants of stable and unstable patterns of decision." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.442010.
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Lee, Jintae. "A decision rationale management system : capturing, reusing, and managing the reasons for decisions." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/13074.
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Richards, Jonathan David. "Implementing strategic decisions : an analysis of decision content, organisational context and managerial strategy." Thesis, University of Manchester, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.631235.
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The management of strategic change has come to be viewed as a complex and difficult area of organisational analysis, both from a theoretical academic and practical management point of view. However, much of the literature on the subject is typically characterised by high levels of normativism and a general lack of analytical depth or sophistication. Empirical studies attempting to capture the complex, dynamic and contextually-embedded character of strategic decision implementation are rare. Those that exist are typically long on description and short on analytical insight. Comparative studies in this field, guided by coherent conceptual frameworks, remain largely unexplored. In recognising these problems, the research presented in this thesis sets out to examine and compare strategies and processes of decision implementation across a diverse range of organisational contexts. The theoretical framework adopted for the study is predicated on the idea that the nature and form of processes of implementation is critically influenced by the interrelationship between three central determining factors - the managerial strategies employed to effect change, the nature or content of the decision issue being implemented, and the wider institutional setting within which the process occurs. The essence of this interrelationship is captured in the concept of implementation system congruence, which identifies the extent to which strategies of implementation adequately address the requirement for staff and employees not only to understand the decision issue, but also to demonstrate sufficient levels of commitment to ensure it is translated into action. The programme of research is conducted using a qualitative case study method within eight British organisations, examining the process of implementation relevant to one decision in each case. All eight decisions are strategic in nature in that they are perceived to be important or consequential by the organisations concerned. Two of the organisations are in the motor component manufacturing industry; the others are a financial institution, a charity, a power station, a printing company, a telemarketing agency and a grammar school. Each detailed study is analysed in a comparative manner alongside the other seven in an effort to derive valid analytical generalisations on the process of strategic decision implementation. The concept of implementation system congruence is found to be extremely useful in understanding relationships between the strategies, content and context of change, and their association with ultimate process outcomes. The research also underscores the nonlinear and dynamic nature of change and the critical need for change managers to assimilate and respond to unforeseen contingencies as processes of implementation unfold over time. In this respect, the notion that the implementation of consequential business decisions seems to require strong commitment, patience, perseverance and repetition fits well with the empirical fmdings of this study. Finally, the broader context in and around the organisation is also revealed to have an important influence in creating a social backdrop against which implementation activities and decision issues are shaped, interpreted and evaluated by others. Levels of trust between sponsors and recipients are singled out as an especially prominent element of an organisation's social context influencing the former's capacity to effect change. 22 No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. 1. Copyright in text of this thesis rests with the Author. Copies (by any process) either in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the Author and lodged in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Details may be obtained from the Librarian. This page must form part of any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the Author. 2. The ownership of any intellectual property rights which may be described in this thesis is vested in the University of Manchester, subject to any prior agreement to the contrary, and may not be made available for use by third parties without the written permission of the University, which will prescribe the terms and conditions of any such agreement. Further information on the conditions under which disclosures and exploitation may take place is available from the Head of the Faculty of Business Administration, Manchester Business School.
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Blackwood, Hayley L. "Miranda Reasoning and Competent Waiver Decisions: Are Models of Legal Decision Making Applicable?" Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc271782/.
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Miranda understanding, appreciation, and reasoning abilities are essential to courts' determinations of knowing and intelligent Miranda rights waivers. Despite the remarkable development of Miranda research in recent decades, studies have generally focused on understanding and appreciation of Miranda rights, but have not examined Miranda reasoning and waiver decisions. Therefore, examining the nature of defendants' decisional capacities constitutes a critical step in further developing theoretical and clinical models for competent Miranda waiver decisions. The current study evaluated Miranda waiver decisions for 80 pretrial defendants from two Tulsa-area Oklahoma jails. Previously untested, the current study examined systematically how rational decision abilities affect defendants' personal waiver decisions. Components from general models of legal decision making, such as decisional competence and judgment models, were examined to determine their applicability to Miranda waiver decisions.
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Drew, Christina H. "The decision mapping system : promoting transparency of long-term environmental decisions at Hanford /." Thesis, Connect to materials related to this title online, 2002. http://nalu.geog.washington.edu/dms.
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TODELLA, ELENA. "Projecting decisions. The architectural design practice in the folds of decision-making processes." Doctoral thesis, Politecnico di Torino, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2845796.
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Kelley, Christopher Patrick. "The power of identity in important leadership decisions." Diss., University of Iowa, 2014. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1656.
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Why might someone avoid information that could be useful for making an important decision? Useful information can indicate that some options are better than others for achieving an important goal or averting disaster. A theory is developed here which proposes that decisions feel more important because the consequences of the decisions are more threatening the self-concept. Useful information threatens to reduce a decision maker's decision options, thus constraining their opportunities to act quickly, reduce uncertainty and make the decision in a way that is self-verifying. This occurs while a decision maker is strongly motivated to reduce the uncertainty and the threat to the self-concept generated by the decision making situation. As a result, people become less likely to access useful information when making more important decisions. This is more likely to occur when the decisions includes a substantial threat to more salient identities and core aspects of the decision maker's self-concept.
First a study is conducted to develop a measure of the relative strength of a respondent's leadership identity. Then, hypotheses derived from the theory are tested in two experiments. The hypotheses predict that participants making more important decisions will (1) experience stronger feelings, (2) value self-verifying options more and feel more certain after making a decision, (3) prefer fewer options in a subsequent decision task after making more, as opposed to less important decisions, (4) make more important decision more quickly, (5) access less useful information when making more important decisions , (6) feel more certain after avoiding useful information that could indicate an identity validating solution is inferior and less certain if accessing that information, (7) report that decisions associated with stronger feelings are more important, and (8) prefer fewer choices to pick from in a subsequent decision when having made a prior decision with less useful information.
The hypotheses are tested in two incrementally differing experimental in which participants make organizational leadership decisions after completing the instrument developed to test the strength of their leadership identity. Contrasting pairs of conditions vary theoretically important elements to make the decisions feel more or less important. Both pairs vary the importance of the decision situation by changing the definition of the situation to increase or decrease the consequences for the participant's leadership identity. The second study similarly varies the decision's importance and adds the opportunity to access various types of useful information prior to making each decision.
Findings indicate that decisions feel more important when the outcome includes a credible threat to the maintenance of a highly salient identity. Participant making more important decisions in experiment A felt more certain they were right after making their decisions. They preferred fewer options in a subsequent decision situation which indicates they felt more powerful. In Experiment B Participants were less likely to access useful information when making more important decisions. Participants who did access useful information prior to making a more important decision preferred more options in a subsequent task. This indicates they felt less powerful after making more important decisions with more information. These findings have implications for research on decision making, identity theory, leadership in organizations, and research on emotions, and the role of perceptual control in the resiliency of social structure.
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Villoro, i. Armengol Jordi. "La intuïció i la presa de decisions per alumnes de grau de màrqueting." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/368208.
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El propòsit principal de la investigació ha estat explorar i investigar el paper de la intuïció en la presa de decisions pels alumnes de grau de l’especialitat de màrqueting.
En l’entorn de l’empresa es valora més el coneixement basat en la lògica i en l’anàlisi de totes les variables que no pas el coneixement fonamentat en la intuïció.
Durant molt de temps s’ha considerat que actuar per intuïció era un acte poc assenyat i per tant qualsevol comportament havia d’estar fonamentat en el coneixement conscient i en el rigor tècnic i per tant distanciat de la resposta intuïtiva.
La intuïció està relacionada amb la memòria experiencial, la que s’adquireix amb el pas dels anys i de l’experiència. El cervell emmagatzema en l’inconscient dades i informació, que de sobte es fan present a la ment i fan que es vegin les coses amb claredat. Per tant la intuïció millora amb les vivències i les experiències del dia a dia, i és per això que acostuma a ser més encertada la reacció d’un expert que no pas la d’un novell.
Els problemes són difícils d’avaluar donat el nombre de biaixos cognitius. Però aquests biaixos també estan present en un procés racional per la qual cosa la intuïció pot resultar més fiable en entorns d’incertesa i en decisors experts.
La investigació correspon a un estudi quantitatiu sobre una mostra de 404 joves de 20 a 25 anys dels quals la meitat són estudiants de grau de màrqueting d’ESIC Business&Marketing School. Es tracta de comparar les decisions preses per aquests alumnes amb altres col·lectius i determinar si la formació és una variable significativa predictora de l’encert en les decisions.
Per mitjà d’uns qüestionaris es demana als participants de l’estudi que determinin el possible èxit o fracàs d’uns determinats productes si fossin introduïts en el mercat. Aquests productes, tots reals, han estat triats per un grup d’experts en màrqueting.
A més de la variable “estudis” s’han contemplat també les de dependència i independència de camp, perfil personal referent a la intuïció i dades psicogràfiques.
Els resultats obtinguts son significativament diferents estadísticament considerats, a favor d’aquells que tenen una formació específica en màrqueting i que interaccionen amb característiques personals de dependència de camp, així com un perfil personal d’autoconfiança i un cert nivell d’experiència concomitant amb la edat. Per tant es pot considerar que la formació pot ser un predictor d’èxit en la presa de decisions però és més significativa la combinació de formació i experiència, el fet d’haver participat en activitats socials i/o culturals i de tenir un bon concepte sobre la pròpia capacitat intuïtiva.<br>The main purpose of the research has been to explore and investigate the role of intuition in undergraduate marketing students’ decision-making.
The world of business attributes more value to knowledge based on logic and on the analysis of all variables, than it does to knowledge based on intuition.
For a long time it has been understood that acting on intuition was unwise and that therefore all behaviour should be based on conscious knowledge and technical rigour and as such be far removed from the intuitive response.
Intuition is related to experiential memory, which is acquired over the years and from experience. The brain stores data and information in the sub-conscious and they are suddenly appear in the mind, allowing us to see things clearly. Therefore intuition improves with everyday experiences and for this reason experts tend to get it right more often than novices.
The problems are difficult to evaluate taking into account the number of cognitive biases. However, theses biases also exist in a rational process and that means that intuition can be more reliable in uncertain environments and in expert decision-makers.
The research corresponds to a quantitative study with a sample of 404 youths between the ages of 20 and 25, half of whom are undergraduate students of marketing at ESIC Business & Marketing School. The aim of the research is to compare the decisions taken by these students with other groups and determine whether their education is a significant variable in predicting good decisions.
Questionnaires are used to ask the participants of the study to predict the possible success or failure of certain products if they were launched on the market. These products are all real and have been chosen by a group of marketing experts.
In addition to the “education” variable, the study also took into account the field dependence and independence variables, personal profile with regard to intuition and psychographic data.
The results obtained are significantly different from a statistical point of view, favouring those with specific marketing studies, showing a correlation with field dependent personal characteristics as well as a self-confident personal profile and a certain degree of age-related experience. We can therefore conclude that education can be a predictor of decision-making success, although the most significant variables are the combination of education and experience, having taken part in social/cultural activities and having a positive opinion of one’s own intuitive capacity.
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Pratikakis, Nikolaos. "Multistage decisions and risk in Markov decision processes towards effective approximate dynamic programming architectures /." Diss., Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/31654.
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Thesis (Ph.D)--Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009.<br>Committee Chair: Jay H. Lee; Committee Member: Martha Grover; Committee Member: Matthew J. Realff; Committee Member: Shabbir Ahmed; Committee Member: Stylianos Kavadias. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.