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Nyström, Johan. "Partnering : definition, theory and evaluation." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Bygg- och fastighetsekonomi, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4355.
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The concept of partnering in the construction industry stands for a collaborative way of working. Examples of partnering projects can be found on every continent. As suggested in the title this thesis makes contributions to three areas of partnering research: the definition of partnering, the theory behind partnering and how to evaluate the effects of the concept. The thesis consists of six papers with the following main results. A new definition of the concept is provided with the partnering flower in the first paper. This definition model is a concrete, flexible and structured way to define partnering. It forces people to concretise and pinpoint which components they include in partnering in a specific setting. The second paper uses contract theory to understand how partnering can be justified from an efficiency perspective. Partnering can either be seen as something that neutralises opportunism when there is an incomplete contract or something that reduces transaction costs for renegotiation of complete contracts when new information arises. Paper 3 is an empirical study of attitudes towards partnering in the Swedish construction industry, which complements the preceding studies. Among the results can be mentioned that support for the definition of partnering presented in paper 1 is found and that most respondents do not see partnering just as a new fad - a result that is consistent from 2004 to 2006. With the theory and the definition settled, it remains to evaluate the effects of partnering. This is done in two steps. The first step (in paper 4) is through reviewing earlier evaluations and providing suggestions on how the assessments can be improved. One of these suggestions is applied in paper 5, with a quasi-experimental evaluation of partnering comparing ten partnering projects to ten similar non-partnering projects. With improved data, mainly based on site meeting minutes, and a more well-founded method, no support can be found for the strong positive outcome of partnering reported in earlier evaluations. The final paper makes a contribution to economic contract theory by questioning one of the essential assumptions in this literature, the distinction between observable and verifiable characteristics. This aspect surfaced during the study of partnering contracts and contract theory.<br>QC 20100811
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Nyström, Johan. "Partnering : definition, theory and evaluation /." Stockholm : Division of building and real estate economics, Royal Institute of technology, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4355.
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Orri, Stefansson Hlynur. "Decision theory and counterfactual evaluation." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2014. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/984/.
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The value of actual outcomes or states of affairs often depends on what could have been. Such dependencies create well-known “paradoxes” for decision theory, the best-known perhaps being the so-called Allais Paradox. The primary aim of this PhD thesis is to enrich decision theory such that it includes counterfactual prospects in the domains of desirability (or utility) functions, and show that, as a result, the paradoxes in question disappear. Before discussing the way in which counterfactual propositions influence the desirability of actual outcomes, I discuss the way in which the truth of one factual proposition influences the desirability of another. This examination leads me to reject the Invariance assumption, which states that the desirability of a proposition is independent of whether it is true. The assumption plays an important role in David Lewis’ famous arguments against the so-called Desire-as-Belief thesis (DAB). The unsoundness of Lewis’ argument does of course not make DAB true. In fact, I provide novel arguments against different versions of DAB, without assuming Invariance. To justify the assumptions I make when extending decision theory to counterfactual prospects, I discuss several issues concerning the logic, metaphysics and epistemology of counterfactuals. For instance, I defend a version of the so-called Ramsey test, and show that Richard Bradley’s recent Multidimensional Possible World Semantics for Conditionals is both more plausible and permissive than Bradley’s original formulation of it suggested. I use the multidimensional semantics to extend Richard Jeffrey’s decision theory to counterfactuals, and show that his desirability measure, extended to counterfactuals, can represent the various different ways in which counterfactuals influence the desirability of factual propositions. And I explain why the most common alternatives to Jeffrey’s theory cannot be similarly extended. I conclude the thesis by using Jeffrey’s extended decision theory to construct an ethical theory I call Modal Consequentialism, and argue that it better satisfies certain entrenched moral intuitions than Non-Modal Consequentialism (such as classical utilitarianism and welfare economics).
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Mui, Rosetta Suet Ying. "Evaluation of a theory of imitation." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2008. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/54736/.
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A series of experiments was conducted in order to evaluate a theory proposed by Heyes and Saggerson (2000) of how one animal is able to imitate the action of another animal. A fundamental assumption of the theory is that animal's are able to discriminate between the natural movements of other animals on the basis of dynamic cues created by the transition from one posture to another. The results from Experiment 1 to 3 revealed for the first time that pigeons and budgerigars are indeed sensitive to the dynamic cues created by different movements. These cues were shown to be effective with inverted images (Experiment 4), but not degraded, point-light images (Experiment 5). A further assumption of the theory is that imitation will be evident whenever one animal has the opportunity to observe the actions of another animal. This assumption gained support from the results of Experiment 7, but not Experiment 6. Overall the results lend strong support to the theory.
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Harnar, Michael Allen. "Theory Building Through Praxis Discourse: A Theory- And Practice-Informed Model of Transformative Participatory Evaluation." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2012. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/57.
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Stakeholder participation in evaluation, where the evaluator engages stakeholders in the process, is prevalent in evaluation practice and is an important focus of evaluation research. Cousins and Whitmore proposed a bifurcation of participatory evaluation into the two streams of transformative participatory and practical participatory evaluation (T-PE and P-PE respectively). T-PE stems from a social justice perspective and P-PE has more of a use orientation. T-PE is an underdeveloped evaluation theory with relatively low operational specificity. Case examples provide some understanding of it in practice, but comprehensive empirical support is still forthcoming. This study aims to develop a greater understanding of the participatory evaluation schema of P-PE and T-PE and to develop more practice-based and accessible operational specificity of T-PE by developing a logic-model like representation informed by both theorists and practitioners. In the process, a set of 28 key T-PE variables and eight statements that help identify T-PE evaluators were developed.
The American Evaluation Association's membership (N=6,615) was invited to an online survey where they were asked their agreement on eight statements related to participatory evaluation. If they were at all participatory in their approach to evaluation they were asked to model their evaluation practice using an online software. A total of 240 evaluators modeled their practice. A most-endorsed model was created from the drawings of those identified as T-PE evaluators (n=142). A sample of these (n=21) commented on the model through webinars.
The model created in this research is quantitatively and qualitatively different from a model created by a group of practitioners identified as more utilization-focused (n=16). The T-PE model was more likely to have stakeholder involvement and community trust at its center and the comparison model was more action-oriented and outcomes driven. This theory- and practice-informed T-PE model, the set of variables expected to be key to T-PE, and the set of statements that might be used to identify T-PE evaluators from other practitioners provide for a more descriptive theory of transformative participatory evaluation and introduce a novel method for engaging practitioners in the theory development process.
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Epstein, Seth Louis Alan. "An experimental evaluation of general equilbrium theory." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184508.
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The major purpose of this dissertation is to begin to experimentally study general equilibrium theory. Partial equilibrium analysis has been the focus of hundreds of experiments, and evidence abounds supporting the proposition that gains from trade will be realized in the market for a single good. Yet, in a general equilibrium context, almost no such documentation exists. Furthermore, general equilibrium theory is not amenable to testing via field data. Thus, at present, the theory that is the intellectual foundation of microeconomics remains untested. The natural starting point of such an investigation is the well-known Edgeworth Box environment. This involves conducting experiments within four major categories. In the first treatment, a two-person, two-good pure barter setting, subjects with given endowments effect trades over the goods. Information is incomplete but symmetric, with individuals having knowledge only of their own endowments and valuations. In the second treatment, prices are introduced to induce a budge constraint. Here, the experimenter acts as an auctioneer, adjusting prices based upon excess demand and supply. Third, the case of asymmetric information is considered, as subjects with full knowledge of both parties' endowments and valuations trade with the experimenter, who acts in a purely price-taking capacity. The final set of experiments extends the second treatment to an r-replication of the economy; here, price-taking behavior is the only individually rational strategy. The results of the barter experiments clearly support standard theoretical predictions, as all gains from trade are exhausted in virtually every case. However, one party usually captures most of these gains through superior bargaining ability. When prices are introduced there is often an initial attempt to behave strategically by at least one of the parties. However, in the limited information environment, it is rarely successful. Thus, the competitive equilibrium is almost always achieved. When information is asymmetric, however, the result is quite different; the majority of people do engage in strategic under-revelation of demand and are thus able to capture the maximum extra surplus available. The final treatment, that of the r-replication of the economy shows the surprising result that subjects in this environment cannot learn, in the alloted time, that behaving in a non-price-taking fashion is very costly.
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Gascon, Gregg Manley. "An application of theory-driven evaluation in educational measurement." The Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1165331507.
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Shipley, Robert. "Visioning in strategic planning, theory, practice and evaluation." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/nq22238.pdf.
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Duffy, Carren. "A theory-driven evaluation of a wellness initiative." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5856.
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Barnett, Elizabeth. "Physical Activity and Enjoyment: Measurement, Evaluation, and Theory." Thesis, Harvard University, 2016. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27201740.
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Childhood engagement in physical activity improves health and contributes to the sustainment of physical activity in adulthood. My dissertation research broadens scholarship by disentangling the effects of sports- vs. non-sports-focused summer camps on children’s physical activity and identifying modifiable activity characteristics contributing to physical activity enjoyment, an important predictor of physical activity sustainment. My work also challenges current discourse by presenting the analytical argument for bringing enjoyment research to the forefront of public health.
In Chapter 1, I hypothesize that children attending a sports camp spend more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to children attending general day camps. Multivariable linear regression models estimated differences in percent of accelerometer-monitored time spent in MVPA. Children in the sports camp spent significantly more time in MVPA compared to children in a non-sports-oriented camp. This is the first study of its kind to use real data to document physical activity differences between sports and non-sports camps.
In Chapter 2, I investigate whether children in a sports camp experience higher enjoyment when the activity 1) is competitive, 2) has an active line or no line, 3) involves active coaches, 4) poses challenge, or 5) requires skill. Enjoyment scores were higher for competitive vs. non-competitive activities and those with higher perceived challenge and skill. Integrating challenging, competitive, and skill-building activities into sports camps is relatively simple, yet may have broad effects on children’s physical activity behavior.
Chapter 3 presents rationales for bringing enjoyment to the forefront of public health dialogue and action to increase physical activity in children. I outline five challenges that have limited physical activity enjoyment research and offer strategies for addressing them. While other fields have linked physical activity enjoyment with physical activity maintenance, the public health field rarely measures or incorporates enjoyment in epidemiologic, intervention, or theory research.
Increasing physical activity in childhood should be prioritized in public health. The findings and lessons from these chapters not only contribute new scientific evidence, but also have the potential to inform policies and programs that improve children’s relationship with and experiences of physical activity during childhood and across the life course.
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Zhao, Liang. "Evaluation of combination cancer chemotherapy theory and practice /." Connect to this title online, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1070398620.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.<br>Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xvii, 158 p.; also includes graphics (some col.) Includes bibliographical references (p. 146-158). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center
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Behrendt, Leigh-Ann. "Theory and implementation evaluation to the STAP/ADAPT diversity programme." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8550.
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Includes bibliographical references.<br>The modern day workplace is faced with the challenge of managing an increasingly diverse workforce. Although diversity among employees yields many benefits, companies must consider the implications of having people from different cultural, linguistic, socio-economic and religious backgrounds working closely together (Chuang & Liao, 2010; Mayo, 2006; Stewart & Ruckdeschel, 1998; Wentling, 2000). It is for this reason that organisations increasingly invest in programmes aimed at managing diversity. Having interventions which allow employees to understand those different from themselves will not only develop their intercultural communication skills, but also impact positively on interpersonal interaction within the company (Avery & Thomas, 2004; Bagshaw, 2004; Cross, 2004). Given the history of South Africa, diversity and diversity management are particularly sensitive topics. Legislative measures, such as the Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998, were implemented by the post-apartheid government to redress the past imbalances and inequality. While these laws may mandate certain processes and procedures within organisations, they do very little to change people's mind sets in attempt to get employees to engage and cooperate with each other (Alexander, 2007; April, Ephraim, & Peters, 2012; Cavaleros, Van Vuuren, & Visser, 2002). In order to deal with this human aspect of diversity, initiatives aimed at increasing tolerance for and acceptance of 'different others', reducing stereotypes and increasing individuals' intercultural communication skills, have emerged. These programmes often bring people from various backgrounds together, allowing them to learn about each other and communicate, encouraging them to adopt different perspectives and to tolerate and respect views and opinions that may not coincide with their own (Paluck, 2006; Roberson, Kulik, & Pepper, 2003). Although multinational companies are the forerunners of such programmes, tertiary education providers have been found to invest in or develop similar programmes (McCauley, Wright, & Harris, 2000). The University of Cape Town's Transformation Services Office implemented one such programme: the STAP/ADAPT programme, which is the focus of this evaluation. The evaluation consisted of two parts, namely: a theory and an implementation evaluation.
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Gascon, Gregg Manley. "An application of theory-driven evaluation in educational measurement." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1165331507.
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Nagm, Fouad Information Systems Technology & Management Australian School of Business UNSW. "IS project evaluation in practice: an actor-network theory account." Publisher:University of New South Wales. Information Systems, Technology & Management, 2008. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/41261.
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The dominant view in the information systems (IS) and software engineering literature is that the application of a rigorous pre-investment evaluation methodology is the key to ensuring the selection of the best IS projects ?? that is those with the highest expected value for the organisation and with the highest probability of success. While the literature is replete with methodologies that take a narrow view of IS evaluation, there is insufficient attention given to the evaluation process itself and to what constitutes successful IS evaluation. Whilst some within IS argue that the development of more elaborate evaluation methodologies, especially calculations of costs and benefits, is necessary for the advancement of the field, many report that it is not methodologies as such that need improvement. What is missing is an understanding of IS evaluation processes in practice and how organisations can adopt and apply evaluation methodologies so as to improve these processes. This thesis aims to provide in-depth knowledge of IS evaluation processes in practice and re-conceptualise the notion of the IS project proposal, the evaluation process and evaluation methodology that reflect the needs and critical issues in practice. These aims are achieved by conducting an in-depth case study of IS project evaluation processes in a company with a history of high success rates of its IS projects ($3 billion worth of successfully delivered IS projects in the past few years). By adopting Actor-Network Theory as a philosophy, approach and theoretical lens to the investigation of IS project evaluation processes in the case company the thesis demonstrates that: a) IS project proposals are dynamic, evolving and relational entities that become ??focal?? objects around which the actor-networks of aligned interest tend to emerge; b) that the evaluation process both creates an IS project proposal and its assessment within a core actor-network within which multiple business realities are enacted and continually negotiated; c) the evaluation methodology plays an important role of an actant (a non-human actor) by acting from a periphery of the core actor-network of an IS project proposal evaluation d) the evaluation methodology acts on behalf of management to regulate communication within actor-networks, ensure that company strategy is effectively implemented and that different IS Project Proposals are consistently presented in a mutually comparable manner; e) by defining a series of processes (steps), inscription aids (inscription forms, norms and rules) and mandated checkpoints the evaluation methodology engenders the evaluation process as ??science??; f) by allowing a degree of freedom in conducting the evaluation processes the methodology is also enabling the evaluation processes to emerge as ??art?? thus stimulating creativity and innovation, and finally, g) by balancing the science and the art of IS project proposal evaluation, the methodology is enabling, assisting and inspiring numerous actors in taking on ??journeys?? of IS project proposals and evaluation and thereby making a difference in their business environments. The thesis makes important contributions to knowledge in the IS discipline. Theoretically, the adoption and use of ANT revealed that the IS Project Proposal is not dormant but rather active, and key to the IS evaluation effort. The IS Project Proposal has thus been re-conceptualised as emerging, relational and dynamic. This thesis also makes a contribution to the re-conceptualisation of the evaluation methodology as being multi-purpose and active as it defines the ??science?? and enables the ??art?? in IS evaluation. The thesis also makes a number of contributions to practice, firstly by showing that documents in IS evaluation are not simply ??outputs?? that are archived away, but are active and are used to attract the right stakeholders. Secondly, it reveals that the ultimate success of the IS Proposal relies on finding a balance between the science and the art in IS evaluation and that the evaluation methodology can play a key role in promoting this balance.
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Swingler, Susan. "A programme theory and process evaluation of a youth development programme." Master's thesis, Faculty of Commerce, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33034.
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Background The CoolPlay youth development programme (CYDP) is an after-school sport-for development (SFD) programme with an integrated social-emotional learning (SEL) component delivered to schools in low-income communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The CYDP is implemented by CoolPlay, an SFD organisation funded by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The aim is to provide youth with pro-social after-school activities that equip them with the social-emotional competence fundamental to becoming responsible and socially engaged citizens. The main programme stakeholders include the CoolPlay board of trustees, an operations manager, four area managers and 26 sport and SEL coaches (Champions). In 2018, I was appointed as a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) intern within the organisation. In my capacity as an M&E intern, I conducted an evaluability assessment (EA), which determined the scope and approach of the evaluation for this dissertation. Evaluation Focus The objective of the evaluation was to determine: (a) whether or not the CYDP can realistically produce the intended outcomes, and (b) the extent to which the programme is implemented in line with quality parameters identified in the literature. As such, a theory evaluation and a process evaluation were conducted sequentially to address the following evaluation questions: 1. What is the theory and logic underlying the CYDP design? 2. Is the programme theory and logic plausible? 3. What elements of the CYDP theory could be modified to maximise intended outcomes? 4. Do the Champions implement the CoolPlay sport sessions with sufficient quality? 5. What contextual factors may be influencing the implementation of the CoolPlay sport sessions? 6. Are the Champions adequately trained to deliver the CoolPlay sport sessions? 7. Is there adequate organisational support in place to facilitate implementation of CoolPlay sport sessions? Methodology The evaluator used Donaldson's (2007) five-step procedure for constructing and assessing the programme theory. An initial programme theory was constructed using programme documentation and focus group data derived from a purposive sample of seven programme stakeholders (evaluation question 1). The plausibility of the initial programme theory was assessed by means of an extensive literature review (evaluation question 2). The programme theory was critically reconstructed using Brouselle and Champagne's (2011) logic analysis procedure (evaluation question 3). The process evaluation used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and integration methods (concurrent mixed methods design). An observational rating scale was administered to a convenience sample of 16 Champions during a routine observation session conducted by area managers to address evaluation question 4. A purposive sample of three area managers and a stratified randomised sample of four Champions participated in interviews to elicit the contextual factors influencing implementation (evaluation question 5), the adequacy of Champion training (evaluation question 6) and the adequacy of programme support functions (evaluation question 7). The operations manager also provided qualitative input on the adequacy of programme support functions through an interview. The qualitative data was analysed using Braun and Clarke (2006)'s procedure for thematic analysis. The interviews were supplemented by quantitative data derived from a mentor survey and an organisational survey completed by four Champions and five members of the programme management team, respectively. Key Findings and Conclusions The programme theory evaluation found that the initial programme theory and logic (evaluation question 1) is plausible, however effect sizes are likely to be low and programme effectiveness is highly dependent on developmentally appropriate content and structure, psychologically and physically safe programme environment, staff characteristics, parent/caregiver involvement, and youth participation and engagement (evaluation question 2 and 3). Preliminary insights derived from the EA suggest that the CYDP does not meet these quality parameters/requirements fully, thus highlighting the need for programme design and implementation improvement, as captured in the critically reconstructed programme theory (evaluation question 3). The process evaluation found deficiencies in implementation (evaluation question 4) linked to schools' commitment and capacity, parent/caregiver involvement, and youths' capacity to engage (evaluation question 5). Certain aspects of the training structure and content were found to be inadequate for developing all relevant competencies/skills, and poor Champion engagement was flagged as a critical issue (evaluation question 6). Implementation of the programme was further constrained by limited organisational capacity (evaluation question 7). These process evaluation findings confirm that the CYDP does not fully meet the programme quality parameters/requirements identified in the literature. Recommendations Key recommendations unpacked in this dissertation include the following: • Alignment of programme content with appropriate developmental milestones and unique interests of programme beneficiaries. It is recommended that the content is structured in a curriculum that follows the SAFE approach to SEL facilitation. • Provision of transport, nutrition, and first aid supplies and training, as well as implementation of strategies to address deviant behaviour to ensure that programme beneficiaries are physically and psychologically safe. • Efforts to hire, train and retain qualified Champions. These include adherence to documented selection criteria, a more comprehensive induction process, ongoing training and support including collaborative planning, debriefing and provision of mental health services. • Implementation of parental and teacher involvement strategies, such as invitation to CoolPlay meetings and workshops, distribution of newsletters, and provision of transport to and from CoolPlay events. • Implementation of M&E systems for participant enrolment, attendance, drop-out and engagement. • Allocation of resources toward securing qualified, full-time staff with experience in positive youth development. • Strengthening of programme quality before the CYDP is rolled out to additional sites, given that the programme has the potential to support both positive and negative developmental outcomes in youth.
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Chideya, Zorodzai. "Theory-driven evaluation of a Financial Services Provider's (FSP) induction programme." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10267.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-46).<br>Many contemporary organisations implement programmes to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Such organisations invest money and human capital into such programmes and this has given rise to the need for accountability of these programmes. The field of programme evaluation makes use of social science research methods to investigate the effectiveness of programmes and to offer guidance on how best to improve these programmes. Programme evaluation has different approaches and theory-driven evaluation is one such approach. This dissertation makes use of the theory-driven evaluation approach to develop a programme theory for a Financial Services Provider (FSP)'s induction programme. The induction programme that is implemented by the FSP is targeted at new employees and aims to improve their knowledge and skill and in the long term to retain these new employees.
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Charlton, Andrea, and n/a. "Towards outcome evaluation : a study of public relations evaluation in the Australian Federal Government, 1995." University of Canberra. Communication, Media & Tourism, 1996. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060627.133808.
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The Australian Federal government has well-defined guidelines for undertaking
program evaluations. Advertising and Public Relations campaigns support
program aims, and are subject to the same guidelines. However, an examination
of actual practice in the Australian Federal government, as observed by the Office
of Government Information and Advertising in Canberra, suggests that there are
significant differences in the extent to which Public Relations campaigns, as
opposed to advertising campaigns, are systematically evaluated.
Evaluation theory, Public Relations theory, strategic planning theory, and public
administration theory provide insights into methods of managing and reporting
on communication campaigns designed to forward government objectives. A
literature review and an assessment of existing models of Public Relations
evaluation were undertaken, and a synthesis of several theoretical and practical
approaches led to the construction of a model of Public Relations evaluation
which could be applied to Australian government communication campaigns.
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Acar, Emmanuel. "Economic evaluation of financial forecasting." Thesis, City University London, 1993. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/8256/.
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This thesis examines the economic evaluation of forecasting strategies based on past prices, bringing together academics and practitioners techniques Forecasting methods based on past prices are convex and path-dependent dynamic strategies Therefore, they must be able to profitably exploit positive serial dependences in financial prices The most important measure of financial forecasting ability is the rate of return achieved by the predictor The expected return of forecasting strategies is first investigated by applying stochastic modelling Then, the presence of serial dependences in financial prices is tested by comparing expected and observed rates of returns of forecasting strategies According to the academic literature, the expected return of investment strategies is best established by applying stochastic modelling That is done analytically for linear forecasters, assuming that the underlying process of asset returns is not only a random walk with drift but any Gaussian processes The rate of return from financial strategies is zero under the assumption of a random walk without drift, and non-zero in all the other cases Then, it is shown that many forecasting techniques used by market participants are in fact linear forecasters and consequently fall in the scope of this study. Minimising the mean squared error is a sufficient but not necessary condition to maximise returns Under the random walk without dnft assumption, error measures and profits arenegatively correlated but very few in absolute value Only the directional accuracy exhibits high degree of linear association with profits When the true Gaussian process is not known, there are cases for which a decrease in mean squared error does not imply an increase in returns Therefore the mean squared error criterion is of poor use to maximise returns when the true model is not known The directional accuracy is of no further help Market timing ability tests based on the percentage of correct forecasts have very low power in presence of low positive autocorrelations. It is why a test of the random walk hypothesis based on the joint profitability of trading rules is investigated It happens to be powerful against a broad range of linear alternatives Its ruee feature is to exhibit a power almost equal to the best of its components unknown when the true model is unknown It constitutes as well a tool to separate mean from variance non-hnear models Simple tests of adequacy of Gaussian processes are subsequently proposed from the joint profitability of trading rules Applying previous tests, the random walk hypothesis is rejected for daily exchange rates against Dollar, over the period 1982-1992 The hypothesis of normal underlying returns is very weak compared to the independence assumption Among a few Gaussian processes, the price-trend model along with some technical models appear to be the best alternatives to explain observed trading rule returns Statistical forecasters based either on ARMA(1,1) or fractional Gaussian processes do not outperform simple technical rules Taking Into account transaction costs reduce profits to zero for individual but not for institutional Investors who might have to act on strategies that assume the foreign exchange markets exhibit positive dependencies, if not inefficiencies.
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Harvey, David. "The evaluation of economic forecasts." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1997. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/10198/.
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The evaluation of economic forecasts is a substantial and important aspect of economic research, and a considerable part of such evaluation is performed by comparing competing forecasts. This thesis focuses on the development of statistical procedures in order that reliable comparison of contending forecasts can be made. The study considers three issues in particular. The first two issues are closely related and concern testing the companion null hypotheses of equal forecast accuracy and forecast encompassing. The established equal accuracy and encompassing tests are found to display problematic behaviour in certain situations, and new modified tests are proposed to overcome these shortcomings. Analysis of the tests results in a recommendation for employing one of the newly proposed tests for each of the respective hypotheses. The recommended tests follow parallel formulations and have a number of attractive features, notably robustness to likely forecast error properties of contemporaneous correlation, autocorrelation, non-normality and autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity, reliable behaviour in finite samples, and good power performance. The third issue examines the ranking of rival forecasts according to a pre-determined evaluation criterion. A recently proposed summary criterion for multi-step-ahead forecasts, comprising a single measure for all model representations and all forecast horizons of interest, is analysed, and a more reliable alternative proposed. This summary criterion approach is compared to the more conventional method of ranking forecasts at a specific horizon for a particular model representation, and the related issue of forecast encompassing for linear combinations of forecasts is discussed. This thesis therefore develops robust well-behaved tests for equal forecast accuracy and forecast encompassing, and advances techniques for ranking competing multi-step forecasts, providing improved, more reliable procedures for conducting economic forecast evaluation.
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Symons, Veronica Jean. "Evaluation of information systems : multiple perspectives." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1990. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.279415.
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Bond, Caroline. "The Manchester Motor Skills Programme : a theory-driven evaluation." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2008. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-manchester-motor-skills-programme-a-theorydriven-evaluation(ce176488-6629-417c-b287-1d89d42e3b5c).html.
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The evaluation of the Manchester Motor Skills (MMSP) project uses a programme theory driven evaluation approach. The research literature proposes the consideration of implementation and impact models. The implementation model is developed in order to establish the full range of implementation factors that need to be attended to for successful initial and long term implementation of the MMSP in schools. An impact model is proposed, based upon key elements from the implementation model and is to evaluate the success of the MMSP in 10 schools at the levels of; groups of children receiving the programme, teaching of the programme and improving school systems for meeting the needs of children with motor difficulties.
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Swenson, Patricia Louise. "A theory of program evaluation practices in disability management." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/51639.
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This grounded theory study developed a theory of evaluation in disability management programs. Disability management involves managing the interactions between health condition impairments and their environments to overcome functional barriers. A sample of four sites was selected each site representing a different paradigm of disability management practices: biomedical, labour, biopsychosocial or insurance. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with 9 participants, including an administrator and practitioner from each site, the Readiness for Organizational Learning and Evaluation Instrument, and documents from each site were analyzed. There were five major findings of the study. 1) Meaningful disability management program evaluation requires insight into how impairment environment interactions are being managed by the program. 2) The presence or absence of collaboration among stakeholders contributes significantly to the variability in disability management and disability management evaluation. 3) Understanding how disability management programs are adapting to contextual influences contributes significantly to an explanation of variability in disability management and disability management evaluation. 4) There are five primary disability management evaluation criteria: return to work, cost savings, timeliness of services, client satisfaction, and client functioning. 5) Disability management evaluation followed a consumer working logic approach, and was predominantly concerned with usefulness of services, and secondarily framed from perspectives of multiple stakeholders. Additionally, disability management programs and their funding organizations are increasingly using technology to develop new data management systems for future use in evaluation.<br>Education, Faculty of<br>Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of<br>Graduate
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Cherrie, J. B. "Fast evaluation of radial basis functions : theory and application." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Mathematics and Statistics, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/5609.
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Radial Basis Functions (RBFs) have proven to be successful interpolants to scattered data. However, the perceived high computational costs for fitting and evaluating the RBFs associated with large data sets have hindered their application to many real world problems. This thesis is concerned with the "fast" evaluation of RBFs: the O(N2) process of evaluation at all centres is reduced to O(N log N) or even O(N). The required theory is developed for polyharmonic RBFs in 4-dimensions and for multiquadric RBFs in arbitrary dimensions. These methods are applied to fit surfaces to scattered data containing many tens of thousands of points.
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Faraday, Peter. "Theory based design and evaluation of multimedia presentation interfaces." Thesis, City University London, 1998. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7563/.
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Multimedia (MM) Applications currently suffer from an ad hoc development process. This places the usability and effectiveness of many MM products in doubt. This thesis develops a theoretically motivated design method and tools to address these problems. The thesis is based on an analysis of the cognitive processes of attending to and comprehending an MM presentation. A design method is then developed based on these cognitive processes. The method addressesth e problem of selecting media to presenting information requirements,h ow to design the media to effectively deliver the desired content, how to combine verbal and visual media successfully, and how to direct the user's attention to particular part of the presentation. A number of studies are then presented which provide validation for the method's claims. These include eye tracking to analyse the user's reading / viewing sequence, and tests of expert and novice recall of MM and conventional text / speech presentations. A set of re-authoring studies show that application of guidelines improves retention of the content. The method is supported by a design advisor authoring tool. The tool applies the guidelines using a combination of a critiquer and expert system. The tool demonstrates that the guidelines are tractable for implementation, and provides a novel approach to providing authoring advice. Both the method and the tool are also validated in case studies with novice users. These demonstrate that the method and tool are both usable and effective.
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Mackenzie, Mhairi Frances. "An evaluation of 'Starting well' : theory, policy and practice." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.432871.
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Hendricks, Kenrick. "Theory evaluation of the touchline media employee induction programme." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8926.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-41).<br>This is a theory evaluation of the Touchline Media (TLM) employee induction programme. Organisations use induction training as part of the new employee welcoming process, making it one of the most common types of organisational training programmes (Klein & Weaver, 2000). Employees who have participated in structured induction programmes are 69% more likely to stay with their chosen organisation than compared to employees who did not receive a similar programme (Brodie, 2006). Ideal induction programmes with appropriate content, process, support and follow-up components have universally been shown to improve employee retention and identification. The one-day TLM induction programme is set in a media and magazine production environment that is very fast paced and deadline driven. It was constructed as a means of ensuring that the organisation's legal obligation surrounding employee induction was fulfilled by informing new employees of their specific job requirements, performance standards and company policies. There are three evaluation questions that are addressed in this evaluation: Evaluation question 1: Does the HRM's programme theory work for the recipients? In other words, are they aware that the outcome of the induction programme should be fulfilling a legal obligation? Evaluation question 2: Would the original induction programme lead, by default, to identification with the employer and staff retention? This evaluation question was included, as it was assumed that the programme activities might have unintended consequences like identification and retention. Evaluation question 3: If the original programme theory is changed (based on existing literature regarding induction programmes) would it lead to an improved design and in the end, to a more effective programme? Data was collected from programme participants using a ten item questionnaire. Questionnaire items were included by the evaluators to test three factors (Legal Obligation, Retention and Identification), with responses in a five-point Likert format. No statistically significant differences in the mean scores for Legal Obligation, Retention and Identification for the three groups of programme attendees (Group 1: New employees with first month induction attendance; Group 2: New employees with later induction attendance; Group 3: Long-serving employees with later induction attendance) were found. This is an indication that the TLM induction programme did not lead to the outcomes of Legal Obligation, Retention or Identification. The main suggestions for improvement were presented according to the four universal components that make up a well organised induction programme, namely content, support, follow-up and process (D' Aurizio, 2007).
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Zuzáková, Barbora. "Exchange market pressure: an evaluation using extreme value theory." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2013. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-199589.
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This thesis discusses the phenomenon of currency crises, in particular it is devoted to empirical identification of crisis periods. As a crisis indicator, we aim to utilize an exchange market pressure index which has been revealed as a very powerful tool for the exchange market pressure quantification. Since enumeration of the exchange market pressure index is crucial for further analysis, we pay special attention to different approaches of its construction. In the majority of existing literature on exchange market pressure models, a currency crisis is defined as a period of time when the exchange market pressure index exceeds a predetermined level. In contrast to this, we incorporate a probabilistic approach using the extreme value theory. Our goal is to prove that stochastic methods are more accurate, in other words they are more reliable instruments for crisis identification. We illustrate the application of the proposed method on a selected sample of four central European countries over the period 1993 - 2012, or 1993 - 2008 respectively, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The choice of the sample is motivated by the fact that these countries underwent transition reforms to market economies at the beginning of 1990s and therefore could have been exposed to speculative attacks on their newly arisen currencies. These countries are often assumed to be relatively homogeneous group of countries at similar stage of the integration process. Thus, a resembling development of exchange market pressure, particularly during the last third of the estimation period, would not be surprising.
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Hart, Cheryl K. "Theory and evaluation of a new physiologic sampling pump /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8459.
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Winn, Joshua Paul. "An evaluation of George Lindbeck's theory of doctrinal truth." Dallas, TX : Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.2986/tren.001-1252.
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Shaikhutdinov, Rustem V. "Structural damage evaluation : theory and applications to earthquake engineering /." Pasadena : California Institute of Technology, Earthquake Engineering Research Laboratory, 2004. http://caltecheerl.library.caltech.edu.
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Plaza, Cecilia Maria. "The Application of Transformative Learning Theory to Curricular Evaluation." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/194354.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for curricular evaluation based on transformative learning theory and to demonstrate its use in evaluating a professional curriculum. Transformative learning theory considers the process of constructing knowledge through critical reflection on the content, process, and premise of an experience. Methods: Critical reflection was operationalized by using the College's Outcomes Expected document to provide the overarching curricular framework for a reflective portfolio developed by pharmacy students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy (UACOP). Content reflection consisted of curricular mapping based on student and faculty questionnaires as well as comparison to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education (CAPE) Educational Outcomes 2004. Process reflection focused on best practices literature-based indicators and student self-efficacy measures. Premise reflection included both content and process reflection to develop global recommendations. Results: The population consisted of 284 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students at the UACOP during the 2004-2005 academic year. Transformative learning theory provides a potentially valuable tool for curricular evaluation by considering the content, process, and premise of construction of knowledge about the pharmacy curricula at respective schools and colleges of pharmacy. This study also demonstrated how transformative learning theory can be applied to both make sense of and use existing data in curricular evaluation. Content reflection revealed concordance between student and faculty ranking of domain and associated competency coverage in their respective curricular maps. Process reflection revealed areas of needed improvement including student and faculty buy-in and the dual use of the portfolio for learning and assessment. Premise reflection provided several global recommendations that other schools and colleges of pharmacy could use in implementing portfolio assessment.
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Coldwell, Michael. "Professional learning and professional careers : theory, evaluation and practice." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2018. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/21924/.
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This thesis uses a set of theoretically informed approaches to understand aspects of the professional careers, development and practices of teachers, addressing three questions in particular. Firstly, how can models, and other theorisations, help illuminate the influence of professional development and practice on a range of outcomes? Secondly, how can focussing on the situated nature of professional practice and initiatives improve understanding of professional learning and practices? Thirdly what new empirical research evidence can the approaches described in the first two research questions produce in relation to professional learning and wider professional practice? It does so via a set of eight papers published over eleven years, drawing on seven mainly mixed methods studies conducted over a six year period. In relation to the first research question, the papers use realist understandings of the social world to build a set of path and level models of professional development alongside critiques of these and other models. Additionally, they provide theoretical constructs to support understanding of professional practice, in particular boundary theory and career constructs. In relation to the second, the papers develop a set of features of context which are missing from earlier accounts, indicating that the context for programmes and change processes can be: dynamic, rather than static; agentic, acting causally not just as a backdrop; relational, operating at different points and in concert with or against other contextual factors; historically located; complex and systemic. Finally, relating to the third question, the papers cover a wide range of studies; however, all focus on the relationship between outcomes and change processes in situ, and in particular the various relationships between the programme or change process; individual teachers or leaders; the organisations within which they work; and wider political and other contexts. The findings link to and illuminate aspects of these relationships.
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Mitra, Sudeshna. "Russell`s theory of descriptions- a statement and evaluation." Thesis, University of North Bengal, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/108.
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Manolakaki, Eleni. "Truth evaluability in radical interpretation theory." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/1791.
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The central problem of the dissertation concerns the possibility of a distinction between truth-evaluable and non-truth-evaluable utterances of a natural language. The class of truth-evaluable utterances includes assertions, con. ectures and other kinds of speech act susceptible of truth evaluation. The class of non-truth-evaluable utterances includes commands, exhortations, wishes i.e. utterances not evaluated as being true or false. The problem is placed in the context of radical interpretation theory and it shown that it is a substantial problem of Davidson‘s early theory of radical interpret at ion. I consider the possibility of distinguishing between locutionary and illocutionary act in uttering a sentence and its significance in the present project. I discuss the suggestion that the mood of the verb of the sentence signifies the required distinction between truth-evaluable utterances and non-truth-evaluable ones. I argue that no criterion for the distinction based on the mood of the verb is adequate. The solution that I propose to the problem of classifylng truth-evaluable utterances appeals to mental states. The view that grounds this line of inquiry is that the truth-evaluability of an utterance is a characteristic of it exclusively relevant to the doxastic dimension of the speaker’s mind. I discuss the constraints that the nature of radical interpretation puts upon the way we construe the notion of belief. I propose that a possible classification of mental states into doxastic and non-doxastic that would result in a classification of utterances into truth-evaluable and non-truthevaluable ones can be given by an elaborated version of a decision theoretic scheme. I suggest that a decision theoretic scheme based on a decision theory that, like Savage’s theory, grants independence axioms is a better candidate to offer a solution to the central problem of the dissertation than a scheme based on a non- standard decision theory such as Richard Jeffrey’s. I conclude by showing that the proposal I make satisfies the constraints I have considered and that it can be accommodated by a radical interpretation theory.
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Grigg, Denver. "A theory, implementation and short-term outcome evaluation of lifematters foundation's literacy intervention." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5911.
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Kauffman, Norman Leroy. "Performance evaluation and job directed effort in the CPA firm : an integration of expectancy theory, attribution theory, and need theory." Connect to resource, 1988. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view.cgi?acc%5Fnum=osu1265294455.
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Landi, Camilla. "Ex-post evaluation of competition authorities' actvities." Thesis, IMT Alti Studi Lucca, 2011. http://e-theses.imtlucca.it/55/1/Landi_phdthesis.pdf.
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Ex-post evaluation of competition authorities’ activities is acquiring growing importance in international debate. Both academic literature and Competition Authorities have started to evaluate on regular basis competition policy enforcement aiming to assess the degree of its effectiveness. The thesis is aimed at providing an assessment of recent antitrust enforcement practice in Europe after the introduction of Regulation No. 1/2003, focusing on commitment decisions introduced by Article 9.
After having provided a general framework for ex-post analysis of competition authorities’ decisions, the thesis develops through two additional independent and original papers grounded on different streams of literature. The case study evaluation methodology is employed to assess the
impact of the introduction of commitment decisions (decisioni con impegni) in Italian antitrust law. Results from the analysis of all decisions adopted up to March 2010 show that commitment decisions in less than five years deeply changed antitrust enforcement in Italy with almost 60% of the cases ended under the new procedure. An event study is instead used to assess stock market reactions to
European Commission’s antitrust decisions adopted from January 2005 to December 2010. The study provides strong negative and statistically significant results for prohibition decisions, while positive statistically significant returns are associated with commitments decisions thus suggesting that markets appreciate quick and without sanction conclusion of antitrust procedures. The results of both studies suggest that commitment decisions may have not minor effects on deterrence and consequently competition authorities should carefully evaluate the use of negotiated procedures.
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Salie, Saleemah. "A formative theory evaluation of a staff reward and recognition programme." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11141.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-48).<br>This formative theory evaluation investigated the feasibility of the programme theory underlying a staff reward and recognition intervention within a retail setting. It contained academic literature which discussed the effects of reward and recognition programmes on motivation and turnover. In addition, best practice guidelines for motivational reward and recognition programmes were used as measure of comparison against the programme's theory. The evaluation questions contained in this dissertation covered various programme evaluation elements and assisted in evaluating the programme's theory.
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Gilain, Agathe. "Economic evaluation of designing in the unknown : Design theory-based models beyond decision theory under uncertainty." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Université Paris sciences et lettres, 2021. http://www.theses.fr/2021UPSLM025.
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La théorie de la décision offre des techniques de calcul qui quantifient la valeur de l'information dans l’incertain et permettent de guider des décisions en conséquence. Ces techniques sont très pertinentes pour le calcul économique dans l'incertain. En revanche, elles négligent la valeur de l'inconnu. Et il est largement prouvé que de telles techniques sont inappropriées, voire induisent en erreur dans des situations qui contiennent de l'inconnu. Cela signifie-t-il que dans l'inconnu, les calculateurs économiques devraient renoncer à toute forme d'approche calculatoire, et guider leurs décisions en s’appuyant sur leurs intuitions? Ou pourrions-nous envisager une approche de calcul qui isolerait et évaluerait les effets économiques dans l'inconnu ? Ce travail de recherche offre quelques réponses à ces questions, en étudiant des phénomènes économiques observés dans le secteur de l'aviation commerciale, où le calcul économique est massivement utilité (études de rentabilité, analyse des coûts...), et en mobilisant la théorie de la conception qui rend compte de l'émergence de l'inconnu. Un premier axe de recherche concerne les impacts de l'inconnu en conception réglée : nous cherchons à identifier la mesure dans laquelle l'inconnu peut impacter les coûts de développement d'un produit, en simulant la relation entre expansion fonctionnelle et dynamique d'augmentation des coûts de développement avec le temps. Nos simulations révèlent que l'expansion fonctionnelle génère de véritables chocs dans l'architecture d'un produit, dont l'impact sur les coûts peut être considérable. Et nous étudions comment des techniques classiques de réduction des coûts (modularisation, sur-investissement dans de l’apprentissage anticipé) pourraient réduire les coûts de l'expansion fonctionnelle. Cela amène à discuter comment une utilisation à mauvais escient de techniques classiques de réduction des coûts en situation d'expansion fonctionnelle peuvent générer des catastrophes industrielles. Un deuxième axe s'intéresse à des situations d'investissement dont les rendements économiques semblent incompréhensibles dans le cadre de la théorie de la décision. Nous démontrons que l'inconnu a joué un rôle dans la génération de ces rendements. Et nous montrons que des raisonnements, méthodes et des principes managériaux relevant de la conception innovante ont été utilisés pour explorer rigoureusement l'inconnu et générer de tels rendements. Les résultats de ce travail suggèrent que l'inconnu peut être géré comme une variable économique à part entière, ce qui soulève d'autres questions, notamment au sujet des types d'organisation qui pourraient déployer du 'calcul économique dans l'inconnu'<br>Decision theory provides computational techniques which quantify the value of information and guide decisions under uncertainty. These latter are very relevant for economic calculation under uncertainty, but they ignore the value of the unknown. It is now well-proved that such techniques are unsuitable, even misleading in a situation that contains unknown. Does this mean that in the unknown, economic calculators should give up any form of computational approach and only rely on intuitions? Or could we contemplate a computational technique that isolates and assesses economic effects in the unknown? This research work provides some insights to these questions by studying economic phenomena in the commercial aircraft industry, where economic calculation is massively used (profitability analyzes, costing analyzes...), and by mobilizing design theory models which account for the emergence of the unknown. A first research axis investigates the impacts of the unknown in rule-based design. We seek to understand the extent to which the unknown may impact a product development cost evolution dynamics by simulating the relationship between functional expansion and development cost escalation. We find that functional expansion introduces shocks in product architecture, the cost impact of which may be dramatic. And we study how well-known cost management techniques (modularization, anticipative overinvestment) could reduce costs under functional expansion. This leads to discuss how the misuse of classic cost reduction techniques under functional expansion could generate industrial catastrophes. A second axis focuses on investment cases whose huge economic returns seem incomprehensible in a decision-theoretic framework. We demonstrate that the unknown has played a role in the generation of these returns. And we show that specific methods and managerial principles were used to rigorously explore the unknown and generate such returns. The outcomes of this work suggest that the unknown can be managed as an economic variable in its own right, which raises further questions, namely about the kind of organizations that could deploy and operate ‘economic calculation in the unknown’
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Feng, Chunyao Seaman John Weldon. "Bayesian evaluation of surrogate endpoints." Waco, Tex. : Baylor University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2104/4187.
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Vengrin, Courtney Ahren. "Examining the Evaluation Capacity, Evaluation Behaviors, and the Culture of Evaluation in Cooperative Extension." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64513.
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Evaluation is a burgeoning field and remains fairly young by most standards. Within Cooperative Extension, evaluation practices have been implemented at a variety of levels given that evaluation is mandatory for much of the funding Cooperative Extension receives. With evaluation in high demand, it is expected that most Extension educators are performing some levels of evaluation as a routine part of their jobs. In order to perform the required evaluations, an Extension educator must exhibit some level of knowledge and skill regarding evaluation. While much research to date has been done on the level of evaluation within the organization, there is a lack of understanding regarding the evaluation competencies that Extension educators must possess and the culture of evaluation within the organization. This study set out to examine the evaluation competencies, culture, and evaluation behaviors within Cooperative Extension. Utilizing an online survey format and quantitative methodology, a widely accepted set of evaluation competencies were examined for their importance within Cooperative Extension. A panel of 13 experts was selected to examine the competencies and it was determined than all competencies in the list were necessary for Extension educators to exhibit in their jobs. The list of competencies was then combined with a subscale regarding culture and a subscale based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991). A total of 419 Extension educators in four Extension systems participated in the study, with 222 generating usable data for a response rate of 13%. The highest and lowest skill level for the competencies were determined by Extension educators self-reporting. Perception of importance of each competency was examined and the highest and lowest importance rankings were determined. These were compared to the rankings of importance by the expert panel. A path analysis was conducted by modifying the Theory of Planned Behavior model and multiple regression analysis. Mean weighted discrepancy scores were calculated to determine the differences in skill level and perception for each of the competencies. The subscale of culture was examined for potential areas of Evaluation Capacity Building (ECB) within the organization. Results show that while there was much agreement between the expert panel and Extension educators regarding the importance of competencies, experts ranked all competencies as important while Extension educators did not. The results of the path analysis determined intention and perceived behavioral control explained 3.9% of the variance in the evaluation behavior exhibited by skill. Subjective norm and attitude explained 11.8% of the variance within intention. Perceived behavioral control, attitude and culture accounted for 13.1% of the variance in subjective norm. Culture and perception accounted for 7.1% of the variance in attitude. Perception, program area, college major, location, training in evaluation, degree level and years of experience explained 28% of the variance within evaluation culture. Finally, recommendations for practice and future research were made based on these findings.<br>Ph. D.
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Moorman, Kenneth Matthew. "A functional theory of creative reading : process, knowledge, and evaluation." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/9122.
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O'Hanlon, P. A. "A critical evaluation of kantian themes in habermas's critical theory." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.517049.
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MELLO, ALAIN MONTEIRO DE. "FREQUENCY LOTS BIDDING EVALUATION FOR LTE USING REAL OPTIONS THEORY." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2013. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=34710@1.
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Em setores dinâmicos como o de telecomunicações, muitas vezes o uso das ferramentas tradicionais de avaliação de projetos mostram-se muito limitados, pois não capturam o valor das possíveis flexibilidades gerenciais. Este trabalho buscou apresentar a teoria das opções reais e aplica-la em um caso real. Para tanto foram avaliados os lotes de frequência LTE – Long Term Evolution, padrão tecnológico de banda larga móvel que oferece velocidades de taxa de transmissão de dados muito superiores às disponíveis atualmente – licitados em 2012 tanto pelo método tradicional de FCD quanto pela teoria das opções reais, do ponto de vista estratégico da operadora Oi. Por fim, foram comparadas as duas metodologias. Os resultados indicam que a avaliação por opções reais alterou a decisão de compra de alguns lotes, pois ao incorporar flexibilidade gerencial às avaliações, foram capturados valores significativamente maiores às mesmas. Concluímos que uma maior difusão desta metodologia no setor poderia melhorar a qualidade das decisões de investimento de capital.<br>In dynamic sectors such as telecommunications, often the use of traditional project evaluation tools is very limited, as they do not capture the value of managerial flexibility. This study presents the real options theory and applies it to a real case. To do this, we evaluated the LTE – Long Term Evolution – frequency lots, a technology standard for mobile broadband that offers significantly higher speed rates of data transmission than those currently available, auctioned in 2012 by both the traditional method of FCD and the real options theory, from the strategic point of view of operator Oi. Finally, the two methods are compared. The results indicate that the real options valuation altered the purchasing decision of some lots, because after incorporating the managerial flexibility on the valuations the value captured was significantly higher. We conclude that greater diffusion of the method in this sector could improve the quality of capital investment decisions.
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King, Nathan, and Steve Davis. "Theory and Development of a Dynamic HITL Autotrack Evaluation System." International Foundation for Telemetering, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/579573.
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ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV<br>Telemetry ground antenna tracking performance evaluation and measurement was previously performed by evaluating only the antenna drive system. The integrated nature of software controlled antenna systems has prompted a need to evaluate the entire tracking antenna system, as a whole. Particularly, the ability of an antenna to remain "locked" on a dynamic target must be able to be evaluated and quantified. This paper presents one method for evaluating the tracking ability of a telemetry antenna system and discusses a likely set of metrics to be used as figures of merit for antenna system tracking performance.
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Kilpert, Diana Mary. "Language and value : the place of evaluation in linguistic theory." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002635.
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It is a central claim of modern linguistic theory that linguists do not prescribe, but describe language as it is, without pronouncing on correctness or judging one variety better than another. This attempt to exclude evaluation is motivated by a desire to be ' politically correct', which hinders objective analysis of language, and by an ill-advised imitation of the natural sciences, which obstructs the discipline's progress towards becoming a science in its own right. It involves linguists, as users of a valued variety, in self-deception and disingenuousness, distances them from the concerns of the ordinary language user, and betrays a failure to understand the involvement of social values in language, the nature of language itself, and the limits of linguistic science. On a wider scale, linguistics reflects society's devaluing and mechanisation of language. Despite growing concern expressed in the literature, and the incoherence that becomes apparent when linguists attempt to address social problems using a theory that regards language as an autonomous object, newcomers to the discipline continue to be taught that anti-prescriptivism is the natural corollary of a scientific approach to language. This thesis suggests that the way out of these difficulties is to rethink the meaning of ' theory' in linguistics. If we take the reflexivity of language seriously, building on M.A.K. Halliday's notion of 'linguistics as metaphor', we are reminded that a linguistic theory is made of language. Metalanguage must use the experiential and interpersonal meaning-making resources of everyday language. It follows that a linguistic theory cannot escape being evaluative, because evaluation is an inherent part of interpersonal meaning. If we fail to notice our own metalinguistic evaluation, this is because language disguises its evaluative meanings, or perhaps we are just not used to thinking of them as part of the grammar. To achieve clarity about the involvement of value in language, we need to turn our metalanguage back on itself - 'using the grammar to think with about the grammar' . Some ways of doing this are demonstrated here, turning the resources of systemic functional linguistics on linguists' own language. The circularity of this process should be seen not as a drawback but as a salutary reminder that linguistics is an interpretive rather than a discovery process. This knowledge should help us revalue language and make a place for evaluation in linguistic theory, paving the way for a socially responsible and productive linguistics.
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Incorvia, Joseph H. "An evaluation of defense contracting based on transaction cost theory." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42008.
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This study investigates the use of the transaction
cost paradigm, as a framework, for evaluating defense
contracts and exploring problems related to defense
contracting. The study shows that defense contracting is
beleaguered with bounded rationality and uncertainty
problems, and furthermore, that bounded rationality and
uncertainty can lead to opportunistic behavior within
defense contracting. The study shows, in particular that
adverse selection, moral hazard, and hold-up problems exist
within defense contracting.
<p>Based on the results of this study the transaction
cost paradigm can be used as a framework for evaluating
defense contracts and related problems. The results also
indicate that hold-up problems and moral hazard problems
may be minimized by using proper contracts or acquisition
strategies. Based on the case study in Chapter III there
does not appear to be a contractual solution to adverse
selection problems.<br>Master of Arts
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Zhou, Yi (Software engineer). "Uncertainty Evaluation in Large-scale Dynamical Systems: Theory and Applications." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2014. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc700073/.
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Significant research efforts have been devoted to large-scale dynamical systems, with the aim of understanding their complicated behaviors and managing their responses in real-time. One pivotal technological obstacle in this process is the existence of uncertainty. Although many of these large-scale dynamical systems function well in the design stage, they may easily fail when operating in realistic environment, where environmental uncertainties modulate system dynamics and complicate real-time predication and management tasks. This dissertation aims to develop systematic methodologies to evaluate the performance of large-scale dynamical systems under uncertainty, as a step toward real-time decision support. Two uncertainty evaluation approaches are pursued: the analytical approach and the effective simulation approach. The analytical approach abstracts the dynamics of original stochastic systems, and develops tractable analysis (e.g., jump-linear analysis) for the approximated systems. Despite the potential bias introduced in the approximation process, the analytical approach provides rich insights valuable for evaluating and managing the performance of large-scale dynamical systems under uncertainty. When a system’s complexity and scale are beyond tractable analysis, the effective simulation approach becomes very useful. The effective simulation approach aims to use a few smartly selected simulations to quickly evaluate a complex system’s statistical performance. This approach was originally developed to evaluate a single uncertain variable. This dissertation extends the approach to be scalable and effective for evaluating large-scale systems under a large-number of uncertain variables. While a large portion of this dissertation focuses on the development of generic methods and theoretical analysis that are applicable to broad large-scale dynamical systems, many results are illustrated through a representative large-scale system application on strategic air traffic management application, which is concerned with designing robust management plans subject to a wide range of weather possibilities at 2-15 hours look-ahead time.
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Gamboz, Nadia. "Evaluation of inhibitory processes in cognitive aging." Thesis, University of Essex, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324217.
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au, bigskies@iprimus com, and Sheri Hudson. "The Influence of program theory-based evaluation on the use of evaluation information: A longitudinal study." Murdoch University, 2008. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20091002.91837.
Full textAbstract:
Theory-based evaluation studies have long been promoted as increasing stakeholder knowledge of the program and improving decision-making (Bickman, 1987; Chen, 2004; Suchman, 1967; Weiss, 1998), but such advocacy has little empirical research support. This paper helps to redress this deficiency by reporting on an empirical study which investigated the relationship between the use of program theory as the basis for an evaluation study and the nature of the evaluation information generated and its utility.
The investigation followed three program evaluation studies through their term and focused on the extent of theory use and the nature and influence of the information from each evaluation. A model of factors which it has been suggested influence the use of program evaluation information was developed and investigated (Alkin, 1985; Cousins & Leithwood, 1986, 1993; Cummings, 1997; Leviton & Hughes, 1981; Hudson-Mabbs, 1993; Pawson & Tilley, 1997; Preskill & Torres, 1997). Structural equation modeling was used to test and further explore the model, while qualitative data were used to gain further insight into the study findings.
The investigation was not able to confirm that a greater use of program theory in an evaluation study improves the usefulness of evaluation findings. The study does, however, identify interactions between program theory and other predictor variables, such as the characteristics of the evaluation study, related to increased information use. It also provides further evidence regarding the importance of stakeholder involvement in an evaluation study on the extent to which they use and are influenced by evaluation information. Furthermore, this research provides insight into perceptions developed by many evaluators through experience and practice, such as the vulnerability of an evaluation study to contextual factors which typically are outside the control of the evaluation team.