Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Policy implications and recommendations'

Salmon aquaculture can be a potential solution to bridge the gap between declining capture fisheries and increasing seafood demand. However, the environmental impacts it creates have generated criticism. The overall objectives of this dissertation are to examine the economic consequences of environmental issues associated with salmon aquaculture, and to explore policy implications and recommendations for reducing environmental impacts. These objectives are addressed in five main analyses. The growth of salmon aquaculture is analyzed based on farmed salmon production in the four leading producing countries and the sector as a whole. Analyses indicate that salmon aquaculture is unlikely to continue to grow at its current pace. A joint production function approach is used to estimate pollution abatement costs for the salmon aquaculture industry. Results reveal that pollution abatement costs vary among observations and models. On average, pollution abatement cost is estimated at 3.5% in terms of total farmed salmon production, and 6.5% in terms of total revenue of farmed salmon. The ecological and economic impacts of sea lice from salmon farms on wild salmon population and fisheries are also studied. Analyses suggest that these effects are minor when the sea lice induced mortality rate is below 20%, while they can be severe if the mortality is greater than 30%. Sea lice have greater ecological and economic impacts on pink salmon than on chum salmon. These effects are greater under a fixed exploitation rate than under a target escapement policy. The economic performance of open netcage and sea-bag production systems for salmon aquaculture is compared. Netcage systems appear to be more economically profitable than sea-bag systems when environmental costs are either not or only partially included. Sea-bag systems can be financially profitable only when the salmon they produce can achieve a price premium. Finally, policy implications are explored and recommendations are made for sustaining salmon aquaculture in a holistic manner based on the results from previous chapters. Technologies, economic-based instruments and more stringent environmental policies can be employed to reduce environmental impacts. However, there is no single solution to solve these environmental impacts, and a combination of policy options is needed.

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2010.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-72).
This thesis discusses the economic implications of Internet behavioral advertising, which targets ads to individuals based on extensive detailed data about the specific websites users have visited. Previous literature on behavioral advertising has focused almost exclusively on privacy issues; there has been less study of how it might affect industry structure. This thesis examines which parties in the online advertising value chain would benefit the most from the demand for detailed behavioral data; in particular, it examines whether aggregators (such as advertising networks) that track behavior across a large number of websites would derive the greatest benefit. Qualitative stakeholder analysis is used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of several categories of actors: advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers, advertising networks, advertising exchanges, Internet service providers, and users. Advertising agencies might attempt to bypass networks and work directly with publishers, becoming aggregators in their own right. Publishers might need to become interactive "information experiences" in order to collect valuable behavioral data. Users might demand more transparency about what is happening with their data, or even more control over the data collection process. Overall, agencies, networks, and advertising exchanges appear to be in the best position; publishers are faced with a harder task. Furthermore, behavioral targeting may not result in a dramatic increase in overall online advertising spending.
by Anthony N. Smith-Grieco.
S.M.in Technology and Policy

Rapid economic development in Oman and other Gulf States has attracted foreign workers who now constitute 87% of the workforce in the Omani private sector. Unemployment rates among Omanis are now a serious socioeconomic problem that impacts the stability of Omani society and which has compelled the government to introduce a policy of job-localisation. However, recent statistics revealed that only about 14.6% of jobs have been omanised (Ministry of Manpower, 2014) indicating limited policy success. This study examines the challenges to the implementation and success of Omanisation in the private sector by exploring the views of officials and managers and, importantly, the often neglected views of employees. It employs a theoretical framework based on three aspects of capital theory: human capital elements, that is, education, T&D, skills, and experience; social capital factors, such as gender inequality, Wasta/nepotism and trust; and organisational capital variables, such as organisational culture, English fluency and HRM policies. A total of 496 questionnaires were completed by employees in three sectors; banking, tourism and auto retailing. Statistical analysis showed that the greatest differences emerged in the areas of gender inequality, training and development and working conditions. Overall, women employees, unmarried employees, lower-income employees, junior employees with little in-company training, and employees with lower educational levels perceived the highest barriers. More specifically, the level of in-company training was the most influential factor showing differences in twelve out of the fourteen human, social and organisational factors included in this study as barriers to the policy. The findings replicate previous research on job-localisation in the Gulf States regarding the impact of the private sector’s stereotypical perceptions of local workers concerning lack of trust in Omanis and views that they are less productive. However, this study contradicts most previous studies as it found no evidence that the educational system or English language skills were barriers to the employment of locals. This reflects the effectiveness of recent government measures to improve the quality of education. In addition, this study found no significant impact from wasta and nepotism, unlike previous studies. This is attributed to the satisfaction of nationals with the measures taken by the government in response to the 2011 uprising. The primary contribution of the study, however, comes from interviews with officials and managers who deal directly with Omanisation. Interviews revealed factors that perpetuate the domination of expatriates in managerial roles and unveiled some sensitive issues that people usually avoid disclosing for fear of upsetting policy makers. These include inter-faith conflict, social distance barriers, organisational silence barriers and institutional structure barriers. Participants also reported suppression of Omani employees’ rights to promotion and career-development. Barriers to Omanisation were found to be higher in the automotive sector indicating that policy implementation is sector-dependent. Policy makers are therefore advised to take this into consideration when designing Omanisation programmes to catalyse Omanisation in some sectors.

Since the economic reform in 1978, China’s health system moved from a commune-based system to a market-driven system. This drastic change resulted in various market failures, including cost inflation, perverse incentives for providers and supplier-induced demand for unnecessary care, increasing inequality in access across regions based on economic status, and other problems. Though China attempted to correct its policy mistakes and reform its inadequate and unjust health care system in order to provide basic universal health coverage for all over the past decade, not everyone has equal access to the same quality of affordable health care, especially the non-resident workers, the poor urban residents, and the rural population. This research uses the framework of the five intellectual tasks to assess the history of China’s health policies, the political economy factors that have driven and shaped the reform of China’s health system, the likely projections of policy options, and potential alternatives for policymakers.

Most Social Media Platforms (SMPs) implement privacy policies that enable users to protect their sensitive information against privacy violations. However, observations indicate that users find these privacy policies cumbersome and difficult to configure. Consequently, various approaches have been proposed to assist users with privacy policy configuration. These approaches are however, limited to either protecting only profile attributes, or only protecting user-generated content. This is problematic, because both profile attributes and user-generated content can contain sensitive information. Therefore, protecting one without the other, can still result in privacy violations. A further drawback of existing approaches is that most require considerable user input which is time consuming and inefficient in terms of privacy policy configuration. In order to address these problems, we propose an automated privacy policy recommender system. The system relies on the expertise of existing social media users, as well as the user's privacy policy history in order to provide him/her with personalized privacy policy suggestions for both profile attributes, and user-generated content. Results from our prototype implementation indicate that the proposed recommender system provides accurate privacy policy suggestions, with minimum user input.

Contrary to popular belief, the L.A. region is more of a desert than a tropical oasis. Little rainfall during the winter months and practically no rainfall during the summer months is characteristic of Southern California’s desert-like weather patterns. Due to these low precipitation levels, water is considered the most important commodity in the Los Angeles region. Prior to 1900, the inhabitants of this area were fully aware of the importance of water. Most settlements were established near water sources and had adopted various techniques and constructed small-scale dams to conserve and reuse rainwater. Yet these measures were not sufficient to sustain large populations during drought conditions. Most settlers were forced to seek other areas where more reliable sources of water were found. The construction of early engineering feats like the Los Angeles aqueduct quickly changed prior perceptions of the region’s potential. Such systems allowed for cheap and previously inaccessible water to flow to the abundant land, spurring an unprecedented population and agricultural boom. For decades, the construction of more aqueducts and canals provided a sufficient amount of water to meet the demand in the region’s growing agricultural and financial economy. As the abundance of land and favorable weather attracted more businesses and industries into the region, more and more homes were built to accommodate the workforce. By 1936, the Hoover Dam had been built and California had signed and agreed to the Colorado River Compact, which granted Southern California 4.4 million acre-feet annually of the Colorado River’s water. As a result, relatively cheap water was able to meet the demands, thus catapulting California’s agricultural industry and residential development.

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2010.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-121).
Online service providers (OSPs) such as Google, Yahoo!, and Amazon provide customized features that do not behave as conventional experience goods. Absent familiar metaphors, unraveling the full. scope and implications of attendant privacy hazards requires technical knowledge, creating information asymmetries for casual users. While a number of information asymmetries are proximately rooted in the substantive content of OSP privacy policies, the lack of countervailing standards guidelines can be traced to systemic failures on the part of privacy regulating institutions. In particular, the EU Data Protection Directive (EU-DPD) and the US Safe Harbor Agreement (US-SHA) are based on comprehensive norms, but do not provide pragmatic guidelines for addressing emerging privacy hazards in a timely manner. The dearth of substantive privacy standards for behavioral advertising and emerging location-based services highlight these gaps. To explore this problem, the privacy policies of ten large OSPs were evaluated in terms of strategies for complying with the EU-DPD and US-SHA and in terms of their role as tools for enabling informed decision-making. Analysis of these policies shows that OSPs do little more than comply with the black letter of the EU-DPD and USSHA. Tacit data collection is an illustrative instance. OSP privacy policies satisfice by acknowledging the nominal mechanisms behind tacit data collection supporting services that "enhance and customize the user experience," but these metaphors do not sufficiently elaborate the privacy implications necessary for the user to make informed choices. In contrast, privacy advocates prefer "privacy and surveillance" metaphors that draw users attention away from the immediate gratification of customized services. Although OSPs do bear some responsibility, neither the EU-DPD nor the US-SHA provide the guidance or incentives necessary to develop more substantive privacy standards. In light of these deficiencies, this work identifies an alternative, collaborative approach to the design of privacy standards. OSPs often obscure emerging privacy hazards in favor of promoting innovative services. Privacy advocates err on the other side, giving primacy to "surveillance" metaphors and obscuring the utility of information based services. Rather than forcing users to unravel the conflicting metaphors, collaborative approaches focus on surfacing shared concerns. The collaborative approach presented here attempts to create a forum in which OSPs, advertisers, regulators, and civil society organizations contribute to a strategic menu of technical and policy options that highlight mutually beneficial paths to second best solutions. Particular solutions are developed through a process of issue (re)framing focused on identifying common metaphors that highlight shared concerns, reduce overall information asymmetries, and surface the requirements for governance and privacy tools that address emerging risks. To illustrate this reframing process, common deficiencies identified in the set of privacy policies are presented along with strategic options and examples of potential reframings.
by Jesse H. Sowell, II.
S.M.in Technology and Policy

The purpose of this project is to examine how online physical education courses impact student learning and achievement of fitness and health standards now that budget cuts are leading to the curtailing or elimination of traditional physical education classes at the secondary level of K-12 education.

This study explores the relatively new concept of &ldquo
The Learning Economy&rdquo
in the context of system of Innovation, which provides a basic understanding of all elements and their relations necessary to enhance the innovative capacity. This thesis aims to examine the structure and characteristics of ASELSAN (Electronic Industries Inc.) including i.e., firm-level technological activities. In the &lsquo
Learning Economy&rsquo
, rapid learning is the key factor for accelerating innovative capabilities and competitiveness for firms and nations. On the other hand, this concept is closely correlated with the &lsquo
New Economy&rsquo
, ICT (Information communication Technologies) that enhances the knowledge dissemination and learning. In this perspective, ASELSAN acquired high-level technological capabilities and rapid development such that it can be considered as a model for other firms in Turkey. Furthermore, this research aims to point out the &lsquo
Learning Process Model of ASELSAN&rsquo
comparing it with the catching-up firms in South Korea and emphasize transformation of technology and institutional structure in the period from 1980 to 2002. As an individual firm, &lsquo
ASELSAN&rsquo
is a leading firm in the defense industry as a system integrator
and the next step may be &lsquo
network-based&rsquo
learning process model. In summary, there could be policy lessons to be taken for other firms to become a &lsquo
learning organization and &lsquo
innovative firm&rsquo
.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs (Defense Decision-Making and Planning))--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2005.
Thesis Advisor(s): Jeanne Giraldo, Thomas H. Johnson. Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-178). Also available online.

China joined the WTO in 2001 and has to fully open up its insurance market to foreign competitors by 2006. However, the domestic insurance market is overwhelmingly dominated by a few large state-ovvned or state-controlled firms in terms of premium income. As the market is still underdeveloped &YJ.d the demand for insurance is rising exponentially, there exists huge potential, opportunities as well as challenges for non-state, foreign and joint-venttlre insurance companies. Efficiency is a key concern of the management of insurance companies to make the company competitive in the market. Examination and exploration of efficiency issues also help policy makers regulate the insurance market and allocate resources in an appropriate way. This thesis aims to find out which insurance companies are the benchmarks in the Chinese insurance industry in terms of technical efficiency, where the efficiency gaps are among the insurers, what factors are influencing the technical efficiency of insurers, and what strategies and polices are possible to improve the efficiency. Based on a panel data set of 22 firms over the period 1999-2004, this thesis uses data envelopment analysis method (DEA) to evaluate insurance firm's efficiency and stochastic frontier measure (SFA) to check the robustness of the results. The results show that PICC and Hongkong Mingan are consistently technical efficient in the Chinese property-liability insurance sector and Xinhua and Ali\. are the benchmarks in the life insurance sector. The study also identifies the status of returns to scale of each insurer and the slacks and targets for inefficient companies to catch up their efficient peers. The information from the reference sets suggests a particular efficient company for inefficient insurers to emulate. In addition, the thesis looks at the impact of scale size and merger on the efficiency of insurers. Empirically, it is difficult for insurers to achieve technical efficiency where constant returns to scale hold, if firms are too big or too small. Moreover, a super efficiency model is constructed to compare the efficient insurers while windows analysis is adopted to test the stability and find out the trend of efficiency rating. This study is also the first attempt in the literature to conduct the Malmquist Index analysis in the Chinese insurance industry. The productivity growth of insurance companies is decomposed into technological progress, pure technical efficiency improvement and scale change. The results support the management of insurance companies to know their comparative advantages and figure out specific strategies to achieve productivity gain. Overall, this thesis expands the usages of DEA and SFA methods in the literature of studying the technical efficiency of insurance companies and provides enonnous managerial implications for both the management of insurance companies and policy makers.

The purpose of this policy report is to elucidate the current Arctic strategies and capabilities of the major Arctic nations – Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States – with the aim of identifying American shortcomings in the region and potential policy suggestions to correct these failings. The report first illuminates the potential for resource gain in the Arctic, specifically with respect to oil and natural gas and the potential for commercial growth represented by new Arctic shipping routes. The report also discusses the difficulties associated with reaping the rewards of the Arctic, specifically the lack of maritime infrastructure, the additional costs and risks associated with operating in the Arctic, and the speed with which the Arctic is melting. In general, the report finds that Arctic nations other than the United States are moving aggressively to protect their current and future commercial gains in the Arctic operating space. All countries are doing so by adhering to international legal standards such as the UN Convention on the Laws of the Seas and creating Arctic-specific domestic policies. The much vaunted military expansion in the Arctic is nothing more than countries attempting to protect and police their economic gains in the region. The United States has fallen far behind in all of these regards, and stands to lose out in the Arctic if it does not correct this situation immediately. The report presents the following suggestions for the United States: Create an “American Arctic Policy” document at the Executive level Accede to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea Approve or facilitate funding for a new heavy icebreaker, while solving the question of the Polar Sea Adjudicate an appropriate compromise on the Beaufort Wedge dispute with Canada Improve bilateral capabilities and create agreements with Russia in the Bering Strait and Canada in the Beaufort Sea Strengthen international Arctic cooperation through strong Arctic Council leadership

Among all types of psychiatric disorder, depression is the most prevalent one which affect nearly one third of the contemporary adult population. Depression also ranks top with regard to women’s health and is now contributing heavily to the global disease burden. WHO makes clear that the overall rates of women's depression confirmed across all centers are almost 2 times higher than that of men. This review was performed with aim to examine the risk factors of female depression in developing countries. It also focuses on the strategies and policy recommendations for policy makers. In summary, results included poverty, educational level, unemployment, being unmarried, marital crisis, victims of violence, undesired pregnancies, lack of social support, poor relationships with parents and in-laws, history of depression, were associated with perinatal depression. Besides, financial difficulties, not living with parents, lack social support, expose to violence, bad school behavior and maternal depression were associated with female adolescent depression.
published_or_final_version
Public Health
Master
Master of Public Health

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 established that the current electric grid was inadequate to serve the United States needs. Congress mandated that the U.S. transition to a more intelligent grid for the future. The Department of Energy was tasked with making this goal a reality. Six years later in 2013, only marginal progress has been made. Outside of smart meter rollouts and pilots programs funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), many issues still need to be addressed in order to realize the U.S. Smart Grid vision. Most of the barriers to progress are not technological; the research and business community are rising to the occasion and meeting the challenge through innovation. However, policy issues present a large barrier to overcome. With issues ranging from vague Smart Grids goals issued by the Department of Energy to a general lack of consumer knowledge about the Smart Grid. This paper seeks to identify the gaps in the current electric grid and policy schema are inadequate and suggest recommendations to encourage and expedite the growth of the U.S. Smart Grid.

Mexico, one of the world’s largest economies and an increasingly relevant actor in international affairs, is at a crucial point in defining its future policy course. Given the uncertainty surrounding the global economy, as well as the political situation in Mexico, it is important to have a clear vision for policy going forward. This thesis offers a foundation for a national economic strategy with a long-term vision, upon which future administrations can build as appropriate to maximize on the country’s economic potential. The task is undertaken through a three-part approach. First, a thorough and analytical overview of the country’s economic history provides context and lessons from which to learn. Second, key economic issues to be addressed are identified through an evaluation of the current context and economic outlook. Finally, an evaluation of successful policy implementation, domestically and abroad, provides a basis that can be adapted to address the issues identified as they affect Mexico. The result is a series of six policy recommendations along two axes aimed at tackling the aforementioned key issues. These recommendations are by no means exhaustive, nor are they meant to be. The expectation is that they may serve to align national policy to global economic trends, underlying a plausible strategy to realize Mexico’s productive potential.

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, May, 2020
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, May, 2020
Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 57-60).
In order to adapt and respond to threats by near-peer-adversaries that are changing at an increasing pace, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been focused on reforming software acquisition for rapid development and deployment of software capabilities to the battlefield. Military leaders have been focused on accelerating development and increasing the frequency of deployment, encouraging developers to take risks to reduce schedules. However, military systems have certain levels of performance and quality requirements that must be met to successfully execute missions. Additionally, software systems have many different characteristics that must be considered during development. In this thesis, the DoD software acquisition process and new guidance from the Department and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) regarding software acquisition reforms are detailed first. The existing policy is examined to identify gaps regarding tailoring development processes to different software systems. After providing context on how software is developed and describing four process models to show that different processes are most appropriate for developing systems with certain characteristics, eight specific software system characteristics are identified: user, urgency, lifespan, performance (timing), quality/risk, size, integration, and requirements. Furthermore, recommendations to the USAF and DoD for implementing policy/guidelines that help establish a tailorable software acquisition process based on these eight system characteristics are provided. This thesis hopes to help leaders and managers understand the technical characteristics of software systems and match those with appropriate development process designs and practices, instead of a one-size-fits-all blanket solution, so that the required quality and evolvability of military systems are not compromised in execution of the national security mission.
by Dylan Toshinari Muramoto.
S.M.
S.M.
S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Cette thèse analyse les déterminants et les conséquences des cycles financiers, afin d’en fournir des recommandations de politique économique. Ce terme relativement nouveau invoque aussi bien le comportement pro-cyclique des agents financiers que le cycle de différentes variables, tels que le crédit, et les marchés boursiers et immobiliers. Cette définition permet de dissocier le cycle financier national de l’international. Dans un premier temps, cette thèse propose de nouveaux déterminants aux cycles financiers nationaux. Je mets en avant le rôle primordial de la structure de la dette en termes de maturité. A travers une analyse flux-stock, je démontre que la dynamique de la dette suit généralement une tendance sous-optimale, tantôt trop axée sur les dettes de court-terme, tantôt trop tournée vers le long-terme. Cette thèse propose aussi un deuxième nouveau déterminant de ces cycles financiers, à savoir l’évolution des inégalités. J’en tire trois prédictions théoriques, qui se vérifient dans mon analyse économétrique : i) la hausse des inégalités conduit à une augmentation du crédit aux ménages au niveau agrégé ; ii) l’essentiel de ce lien de causalité est tiré par le rôle clé des classes moyennes ; iii) ce lien de causalité positif existe si et seulement si le pays est suffisamment développé. Dans un deuxième temps, j’analyse les conséquences du cycle financier global, conduit principalement par la politique monétaire américaine. Je démontre que l’exposition domestique aux forces étrangères, en particulier via la présence de banques globales, réduit l’autonomie de la politique monétaire, mais que ce cycle ne change pas la nature du triangle d’incompatibilité de Mundell
This thesis focuses on the determinants and policy implications of financial cycles. This term is fairly new and in line with the conventional logic of business cycles. It involves the boom-bust cycle in credit, equity and housing markets as well as the procyclical behavior of agents. This general definition allows us to distinguish the national financial cycles from the international ones exclusively through the level of integration to the international financial system, with close transmission channels. On the one hand, this brings up questions about their various determinants. I consider debt maturity structure as potential determinant. By using a stock-flow analysis, I find that the mix of these debts chosen by the agent follows a suboptimal path. Financial crises could be triggered by excessive reliance on either short-term or long-term debt. This thesis also exhibits the role of income inequality as key factor of these national financial cycles. Three main predictions are supported by an empirical analysis: i), an increase in inequality leads to an expansion on household credit at the aggregate level; ii) the bulk of the positive impact of inequality on household credit is driven by middle classes; iii) the positive causal link from inequality to household credit exists if and only if the country is sufficiently developed. On the other hand, I will also debate the consequences and policy implications of the global financial cycle, led primarily by US monetary policy. This exposure to foreign forces reduces the scope of domestic monetary policy, but the Mundellian trilemma does not morph into a dilemma

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-86).
The Grid is a distributed computing infrastructure that facilitates the exchange of expertise and resources. It is somewhat analogous to the electric power grid in that it can potentially provide a universal source of IT resources that can have a huge impact on human capabilities and on the entire society. Currently the Grid is being deployed (in limited ways) in some research and academic institutions. As Grid computing technologies mature further, the commercial sector can also benefit. With Grid technologies enabling utility computing, enterprises will be able to access IT resources on-demand in a utility-like way. This thesis gives a brief introduction on Grids and looks back into the history of power grids for lessons learned. It suggests that the Grid and the power grid are both infrastructures and factors of reliability, standardization, universal access and affordability are necessary to ensure the success of any infrastructure. Once the Grid is successful, it can open up new opportunities in the field of utility computing and impact IT provision in the commercial sector. The new utility computing ecosystem would consist of five major players - the Grid resource supplier, the Grid infrastructure supplier, the utility service provider, the re-seller and the end user. Further industry analysis reveals that there are new roles for current players in the traditional IT provision industry and opportunities for new entrants in this new ecosystem. The thesis attempts to identify the characteristics of each of the five major players to help the IT industry better understand the requirements of these new roles. Current players in the IT provision industry would have to decide which of the above roles to play in this new utility computing ecosystem and to re-define their market strategies accordingly. New entrants to the field would likely be players in the telecommunication sector who want a share of this growing pie and whose existing relationship with bandwidth subscribers can be leveraged upon. This thesis concludes with recommendations on several policy issues: Grid standardization for inter-operability, decentralized Grid governance to encourage optimal resource sharing and mechanisms for transcending cultural/organizational barriers inhibiting the commercial adoption of Grid computing.
by Sze Hwei Ong.
S.M.

In approaching such complicated water issues as faced in the Central Valley, the United Nations has attempted to create a process for effective water resource governance with its Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) process. This approach outlines four dimensions of water governance that must be acknowledged and balanced in an effective policymaking process.2 Initially, policymakers must divide water resources equitably along socio-economic strata. After this, water resources must be efficiently used to promote economic growth. In allocating this resource between parties, all stakeholders and citizens must be given equal political opportunities to influence the division and distribution process. Finally, it is essential to the United Nations that water be appropriated and used in an environmentally sustainable way that not only protects ecosystems, but also those who depend on those ecosystems for their livelihoods. It is essential that policymakers in charge of distributing California’s water rights use the IWRM program as a baseline and a starting point for any future policy regimens, as these are the four most basic and integral components of the issue that must be addressed. Beyond the IWRM guidelines, policymakers must approach water distribution issues with the several diverse viewpoints and interests of Californians in mind. It is important to note that as policy issues are being debated, the problem itself is also constantly in flux. In the face of these varied challenges that put a strain on already scarce water resources, appropriate governance and management is becoming more and more necessary. It has been stated that “as a result of climate change,environmental degradation, and a lack of sustained investment in the system, our water system can nolonger meet the needs of the state.”3 The distribution of water in the Central Valley requires an intricate balance of interests between rival, yet deeply interconnected parties.In creating successful water policy, party lines must be crossed and compromises must be agreed upon in the interest of California’s economic, environmental, and social wellbeing.

Eleven percent of Georgians and 13.3% of all Americans are currently over the age of 65. The segment of elderly adults in the United States is the fastest growing subpopulation, attributed to both average lifespan increases and a significant aging of "the baby boomer generation". Thus it is increasingly important that health and policy professionals give attention to issues of health and well-being faced by the aging population. One such issue, financial exploitation of the elderly, has received a large amount of media attention and public concern over the last several years, due to a large increase in the recorded prevalence of the problem. It has been estimated by some studies that financial exploitation of the elderly occurs in 4-5% of the aged population. A variety of legislation, both state and federal, has attempted to address and curb the problem. Like many states, Georgia has successfully passed and implemented such legislation; however as numbers of exploitation continue to increase, it is clear that all states still require a number of policy changes in order to truly eliminate the problem. The purpose of this capstone project is to synthesize scientific research dedicated to financial exploitation of the elderly and, describe current policies in place to address this problem. Finally, policy recommendations for the State of Georgia will be offered so that response and prevention systems effectively reduce the occurrence of this crime.

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2011.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-148).
The European Satellite Navigation Program is a case study that combines Technical / Public / Private aspects in an integrative way. Therefore, it is a sound case for a TPP thesis candidate. This thesis analyzes the European Union policies for the Galileo program, Europe's bid to have its own Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Galileo is the Europe's first major attempt to develop a complex, Pan-European infrastructure project, to be owned by the European Union. It challenges its capability to gather strength and achieve the political capability to deal with major technology policy projects to lead in world affairs. It is a unique case that serves as a precedent for further infrastructure/technical projects to be managed by European Union institutions in the future. Such a major technology policy project involves the interrelation of a complex structure of multinational political and industrial organizations, and the interrelation of leading edge technical, economic, commercial and social concerns in the heart of the European Communities. During the last two decades Europe has committed to maintain a remarkable long-term vision and a strong political determination to developing Galileo. On the downside, the EU hashad difficulties in establishing a coherent financing program and a punctual manufacturer deployment. On the basis of the Galileo endeavor,this thesis assesses the use of Public Private Partnerships in large pan-European infrastructure projects in the complex political framework of the European Union. This analysis is performed upon the perspective of a theory of how to devise a strategy, a tactical plan, and a way to implement a technology policy effectively, developed by the guidelines set forth by the MIT Technology and Policy Program. It reviews the history of the European Union's policies attempting to develop Galileo, evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of such policies, and delivers a plan and a guide to help implement future projects more effectively. Finally, it aims to provide a set of recommendations for the future policymaking the European Union will face in the next decades with regard to the operation and exploitation of the system.
by Laura Escudero San José.
S.M.in Technology and Policy

A collective self-consumption project defines a community made of different electricity consumers that gather around a decentralized distributed energy generation system in order to supply part of their electric demands through self-consumption of the decentralized electricity produced. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is the most used decentralized energy generation system. Thanks to the falling price of renewable energy technologies due to the development of research, and political regulations towards the sustainable development goals, new ways of producing energy have emerged and collective self-consumption projects are part of them. France stands as one of the few Europeans countries having specific regulatory framework for such projects. However, strong barriers prevent from their deployment. These are mainly: a low retail electricity price, high taxes and network tariffs, and a regulation with heavy administrative processes. Besides, the majority of the studies made on collective self-consumption projects are mostly on blockchain technology for the local energy market created by them. The few techno-economic analyses on collective self-consumption are essentially commercial and not research oriented. Therefore, the aim of this study is first, to analyze typical system designs for a collective self-consumption project and set an example of a reference PV system for such project. The objective is also to find most critical barriers for a collective selfconsumption project through an analysis of their impact on the project’s economics. Finally, the aim is to investigate possible policies that could be set by the French Government, regarding its budget, in order to develop PV collective self-consumption projects in the future. A community made of diverse electricity consumers and located in Montpellier, was defined for the purpose of this study. Each consumer’s annual electric load was directly collected from the national open data platform and the sum constituted an input for the system design and modeling in SAM (System Advisor Model), the software used. Techno-economic optimizations were performed both in SAM and a specific built-in economic tool to find an optimal PV system based on the key performance indicators (KPIs) defined. Two main business models were looked at: prosumer and third-party business models. The former corresponds to the case where the PV system is owned by the community itself. The latter is associated to a situation where a third-party which can be a developer, or a utility owns the PV asset and sells the electricity to the community. The impact of barriers to collective self-consumption on the project’s economics are analyzed through the different business models. Critical barriers are found and an analysis on possible policies favoring State initiatives for collective self-consumption is held. This study defines a collective self-consumption project with a techno-economic optimized system design based on fixed key performance indicators (KPIs). The most important KPI is the solar fraction (SF) corresponding to the ratio of the local energy self-consumed by the community over its load. A PV system of 35 kWp with a SF of 34% was found for the city of Montpellier. This study also confirms the fact that collective self-consumption projects are not profitable in France. The CSPE is mainly the tax component that prevent such projects from being profitable regardless of the business model. Besides, the VAT on local electricity consumption weakens the project’s profitability in the prosumer business model. In terms of budget, removing the CSPE costs less to the State (with 19 027 €) than subsidizing direct PV investment cost at 638 €/kW (with 22 330 €) for a project having a third-party business model within the found PV system. For a project having a prosumer business model, a subsidy of 511 €/kW on the direct PV investment cost is preferable for the State (with 17 885 €) than removing both the CSPE and the VAT on local electricity consumption which causes a shortfall of 29 732 €. In conclusion, a collective self-consumption project is not economically profitable in France within the current legislation. To allow the deployment of such projects, the French state should allocate a minimum subsidy of 40% in the direct PV investment (511 €/kW for a PV system of 35 kWp) for projects with a prosumer business model. For the ones with a third-party business model, the CSPE should be removed.
I ett projekt för kollektiv självkonsumtion definieras en gemenskap som består av olika elkonsumenter som samlar sig kring ett decentraliserat system för energiproduktion för att tillgodose en del av sina elbehov genom självkonsumtion av den producerade decentraliserade elen. Solcellsteknik är det mest använda decentraliserade energiproduktionssystemet. Tack vare det sjunkande priset på teknik för förnybar energi på grund av forskningens utveckling och politiska bestämmelser för att uppnå målen för hållbar utveckling har nya sätt att producera energi kommit fram och kollektiva projekt för självkonsumtion ingår i dessa. Frankrike är ett av de få EU-länder som har särskilda rättsliga ramar för sådana projekt. Stora hinder hindrar dock från att de sätts in. Dessa är huvudsakligen följande: Ett lågt elpris i detaljistledet, höga skatter och nätavgifter och en förordning med tunga administrativa förfaranden. Dessutom handlar de flesta studier som gjorts om projekt för kollektiv självkonsumtion främst om teknik för att blockera den lokala energimarknad som de skapar. De få tekniska-ekonomiska analyserna om kollektiv självkonsumtion är huvudsakligen kommersiella och inte forskningsinriktade. Syftet med denna undersökning är därför först och främst att analysera typiska systemutformningar för ett kollektivt självkonsumtionsprojekt och föregå med gott exempel på ett referenssolcellssystem för sådana projekt. Målet är också att hitta de viktigaste hindren för ett kollektivt projekt för självkonsumtion genom en analys av deras inverkan på projektets ekonomi. Slutligen är syftet att undersöka möjliga politiska åtgärder som den franska regeringen skulle kunna fastställa när det gäller dess budget, för att utveckla kollektiva projekt för solcellsanvändning i framtiden. I denna studie definierades ett samhälle som består av olika elkonsumenter och som är beläget i Montpellier. Varje konsuments årliga elbelastning samlades direkt från den nationella öppna dataplattformen och summan utgjorde en inmatning för systemutformning och modellering i SAM (System Advisor Model), den programvara som användes. Teknikekonomiska optimeringar utfördes både i SAM och ett specifikt inbyggt ekonomiskt verktyg för att hitta ett optimalt solcellssystem baserat på de nyckelutförandeindikatorer som definierats. Två huvudsakliga affärsmodeller granskades: företagsmodeller för konsumenter och tredje part. Det förra motsvarar det fall där solcellssystemet ägs av samhället självt. Det senare är förknippat med en situation där en tredje part som kan vara en utvecklare, eller ett företag äger solcellstillgången och säljer elen till samhället. Effekterna av hinder för kollektiv självkonsumtion på projektets ekonomi analyseras genom de olika affärsmodellerna. Kritiska hinder finns och en analys av möjliga politiska åtgärder som främjar statliga initiativ för kollektiv självkonsumtion genomförs. I denna studie definieras ett kollektivt projekt för självkonsumtion med en tekniskt-ekonomisk optimerad systemdesign som baseras på nyckelutförandeindikatorer (KPI). Den viktigaste nyckelutförandeindikatorn är den solfraktion (SF) som motsvarar förhållandet mellan lokalbefolkningens egen energiförbrukning och dess belastning. Ett solcellssystem på 35 kWp med en standardtäckningsgrad på 34 % hittades för staden Montpellier. Denna undersökning bekräftar också att kollektiva projekt för självkonsumtion inte är lönsamma i Frankrike. CSPE-bolaget är i huvudsak den skattekomponent som hindrar sådana projekt från att vara lönsamma oavsett affärsmodell. Mervärdesskatten på lokal elförbrukning försvagar dessutom projektets lönsamhet i konsumentens affärsmodell. När det gäller budgeten är det mindre statens kostnader att ta bort CSPE (med 19 027 euro) än att subventionera direkta kostnader för solcellsinvesteringar till 638 euro/kW (med 22 330 €) för ett projekt som har en affärsmodell från tredje part inom det befintliga solcellssystemet. För ett projekt som har en konsumentaffärsmodell är en subvention på 511 euro/kW på kostnaden för direktinvesteringar i solcellssektorn att föredra för staten (med 17 885 euro) än att ta bort både CSPE och momsen på lokal elförbrukning, vilket leder till ett underskott på 29 732 euro. Sammanfattningsvis är ett kollektivt projekt för självkonsumtion inte ekonomiskt lönsamt i Frankrike inom ramen för den nuvarande lagstiftningen. För att sådana projekt ska kunna genomföras bör den franska staten anslå ett minimibidrag på 40 procent i direktinvesteringen i solcellssektorn (511 euro/kW för ett solcellssystem på 35 kWp) till projekt med en konsumentaffärsmodell. För de som har en affärsmodell från tredje part bör CSPE-bolaget tas bort.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: multiple therapeutic categories of medicines have been increasingly targeted for counterfeiting. According to Van Niekerk [Van Niekerk, Anton. (2001). Moral and social complexities of AIDS in Africa. University of Stellenbosch], “it is commonplace to identify and bewail a plethora of problems in the developing world generally, and in Africa in particular. Poverty, illiteracy, famine, political instability, natural disasters, and many more misfortunes dominate the history of this part of the world over the past 50 years. It was therefore adding uncalled (undeserved?) insult to already overwhelming injury when HIV/AIDS visibly struck the world since mid-1980. In spite of all the other calamities that Africa has to deal with, it nevertheless is no exaggeration to claim that HIV/AIDS nowadays constitutes the most serious health and social crisis and challenge that has ever befallen the continent”. Similar patterns involving HIV/AIDS are now emerging on other continents. One objective of this recent research study was to explore possible relationships between the growing scourges of the worldwide counterfeiting of medicines and parallels with the expanding global HIV/AIDS pandemic - as well as to examine potential relationships and risks associated with other diseases that have been observed to have ‘special associations’ with HIV and AIDS [e.g. sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria] - and possible impact on the “World of Work”. A second and important objective was to develop Recommendations for Workplace Programs. The information gathered has also been used to propose future studies regarding HIV/AIDS and counterfeiting. In the developing world, antibiotics and anti-parasitic medicines are included among the counterfeiters’ favorite targets. Strong parallels exist between locations where counterfeiting of medicines is taking place/product being distributed/sold and where HIV/AIDS is most prevalent and/or where the epidemic is expanding progressively. Counterfeiting of medicines used for treating HIV/AIDS raises the possibility of additional future complications developing in managing other global diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis, not to mention exacerbating the potential for developing resistance and encouraging mutation of the HI virus itself. It is also noteworthy that certain medical devices have also been found to be counterfeit. Global demographics and with particular reference to projected growth rates of populations of the developing world are of specific relevance to this subject of anticounterfeiting and medicines used for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. Indeed, next generations of humanity appear to be at unnecessary risk of being caught up in a confluence of forces whereby the practice of the counterfeiting of medicines could result in significant complications and unforeseen consequences regarding management of the global HIV/AIDS crisis. Following the research, recommendations for workplace programs were developed. The research study concludes with a comprehensive set of references.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die problamatiek aangaande die vervalsing (namaak) van medisyne word nou wereldwyd ervaar en het ‘n impak op beide die geindustrialiseerde en die ontwikkelende wereld. Menige medisyne in terapeutiese kategoriee is tot op hede as vervals geidentifeseer, met die direkte resultaat dat hulle ‘n minemale of geen terapeutiese uitwerking het nie. Wat nog erger is, is dat hierdie middels uiters gevaarlik is om te gebruik en selfs lewensgevaarlik kan wees. Dit is van groot betekenis dat ook medisyne wat bestem is om persone met HIV/VIGS te behandel, as vervals aangetoon is – en soedoende tot nog toe onbekende gevolge vir pasiente, die werkomgewing en ongekende risiko’s vir wereldwye gesondheidsorg en internasionale veiligheid en sekuriteit inhou. In hierdie studie word die onderwerp in taamlike besonderhede bestudeer en daar word afgesluit met aanbevelings oor programme in die werkplek wat ontwerp is om sorg en ondersteuning te bied aan werkers met HIV/VIGS. Verdere studie word ook aanbeveel om die tergende probleme wat volg op die vervalsing van medisyne in die behandling van persone met HIV/VIGS, en die implikasies hiervan, die hoof te bide.

This research examined whether or not relationships exist between preschool teacher quality and parent involvement as indicated by the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler Model of Parent Involvement Survey. Additionally, the study also considered family income and child membership in special education as predictors of parent involvement. The survey instruments included the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, Revised (ECERS-R) and the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler Parent Involvement Survey. A total of 306 parents across 35 preschool classrooms participated in the study. Effect sizes, beta weights and structure coefficients from a series of multiple regression analyses measured the relationship between variables. A regression equation comprised of teacher quality, family income and child membership in special education was statistically significant in predicting parent school-based involvement. In the school-based involvement model the predictors teacher quality and child membership in special education accounted for a greater percentage of variance than did family income. Teacher quality demonstrated a small, negative beta weight but accounted for the greatest amount of variance among the three predictors within the school-based parent involvement model. A negative relationship between teacher quality and school-based parent involvement suggested that as teacher quality improved, parents reported less involvement in school-based activities and events. Findings for special education membership, however, demonstrated a reverse effect in the model and appeared to have a positive significant effect on school-based involvement of parents. The study contributes to the literature on the relationship between teacher quality and parent involvement in early childhood preschool programs.

Investigation of the variations in aspirant juvenile probation officers' recommendations for a juvenile offender who may suffer from a mental health disorder was the purpose of this study. Two hypotheses were developed to test this purpose: a) there was a significant difference between the recommendations of mental health evaluations and b) there was a significant difference in the recommendations for a mental health evaluation prior to and after the mental health overview administered among two groups. A survey was administered to 13 undergraduate students with an aspiration to be juvenile probation officers. The survey consisted of a pretest and posttest questionnaire following a case vignette where a juvenile offender meeting the criteria for conduct disorder was described to measure if the mental health overview would increase the participant's likelihood of recommending a mental health evaluation. A Chi Square and McNemar Test were completed. The statistical analyses and implications are discussed.

Washington and Oregon are more renowned for their artisanal coffee shops, impressive mountainscapes, and booming technology industry than sex trafficking. Nevertheless, in coffee shops, using the roads that run through those mountain ranges, and capitalizing on the tech-driven population growth are traffickers who profit off the sexual exploitation of their victim’s bodies. Through careful examination of anti-trafficking theory, what is known about sex trafficking in the Pacific Northwest, and Washington and Oregon’s separate anti-trafficking efforts this thesis seeks to identify the reason why the region struggles to combat the sex trafficking circuit between Seattle and Portland. I determined that each state’s anti-trafficking efforts operate well in their separate spheres, but are not preventing the region’s sex trafficking economy from increasing. Since the problem defies state lines, maybe the solution should as well.

Durant la darrera dècada, a causa de la necessitat de recuperacióeconòmica desprésde la crisi d’Internet i la recessió mundial, la innovacióoberta ha emergit com la nova estratègia d’innovació per a organitzacions en el sector privat i el públic. La innovacióoberta ha guanyat importància en les estratègies d’innovació de les empreses multinacionalsa causa del ràpidcreixement dels mercats d’idees i tecnologies, els mateixos que són una alternativa per a la comercialització de solucionstecnològiquesmitjançantllicències i patents. D’altra banda, atesa la necessitat de sistemes públics d’innovació que facilitin la col•laboració entre empresesnacionals i internacionals, els governs han dissenyat nous programes i estratègies per capturar els beneficis en inversionsde R+D. Aquesta tesi doctoral està composta per set articles de recerca que tracten la innovació oberta des dediversos nivells d’anàlisi.Es tracta d’un estudi profundsobre la innovacióobertades del nivell de projectes fins al nivell de sistemes regionals d’innovació, queproporciona, així,una contribució única i suficient per explicar científicament el fenomen d’estudi. També ofereix recomanacions valuoses per a directius i gestors d’innovació en el sector públic i el privat. Els estudis que es presenten en aquesta tesi doctoral inclouen una exploració de diversos tipus d’intermediaris d’innovació a Europa i als Estats Units, l’anàlisi de la qual posaen evidència l’existència de diversos enfocaments i propostes de valor que adopten elsintermediaris d’innovació. En primer lloc, dos estudis diferents se centren en el model de negoci dels intermediaris d’innovaciód’una cara,one-sided, i de dues cares, two-sided. Aquests dos estudis de cases basen en informació obtinguda a partir d’entrevistes, enquestes i documentació pública. En segon lloc, un altre cas d’estudi,elaborat a l’empresa NineSigma –unintermediari d’innovació–, revela com els intermediaris no tan sols sónútils per obtenir noves respostes a problemes tecnològics en els mercats d’idees i tecnologies, sinó també per ajudar les empreses en l’articulació i lacodificació del coneixement.Tots aquests estudis han revelat que les empresescerquen el coneixement extern per accelerar els seus processos d’innovació, ja que les solucions obtingudes els permetencomercialitzar els productes en els mercatsmés ràpidament. En tercer lloc, un cinquè estudi confirma l’ús de la innovacióoberta com a estratègia de col•laboració per accelerar el procés d’innovació.Això no obstant, la col•laboració amb socis científics no beneficia el fet d’accelerar projectes d’innovació tecnològica. Així mateix, aquest estudi suggereix que els projectes de risc corporatiu,venture capital, i unitats de negocis establertes com a core businesses beneficien de la col•laboraciódirecta amb socis de mercat i universitats. Finalment, els dos estudis finals proporcionen directrius de polítiques d’innovacióa la Unió Europea i al sistema d’innovació del Mediterrani, en què la innovacióoberta i la innovació de serveis imodels de negoci representen la novetat en un estudi d’escala política. En general, aquesta tesi doctoral intenta connectar els estudis emergents d’innovacióoberta amb les teories de gestió de la innovació, com són els intermediaris d’innovació, les capacitats dinàmiques, la velocitat de la innovació, elrisc corporatiu i les polítiques d’innovació. Les principals contribucions acadèmiques d’aquesta tesi són: a) una tipologia del model de negoci de diversos intermediaris d’innovació;b) una contribució al model de Zollo i Winter (2002) sobre els mecanismes d’aprenentatge a partir del’ús dels intermediaris; c) laconfirmació empíricaque la innovacióoberta accelera la velocitat dels processos d’innovació;d) la primera publicaciósobre el sistema d’innovació del Mediterrani, i e) noves polítiques d’innovació per ala Unió Europea. Finalment, l’estudi de la innovacióoberta a diversos nivells, des demúltiples perspectives teòriques, l’ús de dades qualitatives i quantitatives, i els diferents mètodes d’anàlisi han facilitat el descobriment de noves oportunitats de recerca,que es presentenal final d’aquesta tesi.
Durante la última década, debido a la necesidad de recuperación económica después la crisis de Internet y recesión mundial, la innovación abierta ha emergido como la nueva estrategia de innovación para organizaciones en el sector privado y público. La innovación abierta ha ganado importancia en las estrategias de innovación de las empresas multinacionalesdebido al rápido crecimientos de los mercados de ideas y tecnologías, los mismos que son una alternativa para la comercialización de soluciones tecnológicas a través delicencias y patentes. Por otra parte, dada la necesidad de sistemas públicos de innovación que faciliten la colaboración entre empresas nacionales e internacionales, los gobiernos han diseñando nuevos programas y estrategias para capturar los beneficios en inversionesde I+D. La presente tesis doctoral está compuesta por siete artículos de investigación que abordan la innovación abierta desde diferentes niveles de análisis. Los mismos proporcionan un profundo estudio sobre la innovación abierta, desde el nivel de los proyectos hasta el nivel de sistemas regionales de innovación, proporcionando así una contribución única y suficiente para explicar científicamente el fenómeno de estudio y proporcionar recomendaciones valiosas para directivos y gestores de innovación en sectores públicos y privados. Los estudios presentados en esta tesis doctoral incluyen una exploración de diferentes tipos de intermediarios de innovación en Europa y EE.UU., donde el análisis pone en evidencia la existencia de diferentes enfoques y propuestas de valor adoptados por los intermediarios de innovación. Primero, dos diferentes estudios se centran en el modelo de negocio de los intermediarios de innovación de una cara “one-sided” y dos caras “two-sided”. Estos dos estudios de caso se basan en información obtenida mediante entrevistas, encuestas y documentación pública. Posteriormente, un caso de estudio más elaborado en la empresa NineSigma - un intermediario de innovación - revela cómo los intermediarios no son sólo útiles para obtener nuevas respuestas a problemas tecnológicos en los mercados de ideas y tecnologías, sino también para ayudar a las empresas en la articulación y codificación del conocimiento.Todos estos estudios han revelado que las empresas buscan el conocimiento externo para acelerar su proceso de innovación, ya que las soluciones obtenidas les permitiría comercializar más rápidamente los productos en los mercados. Tercero, un quinto estudio confirma el uso de la innovación abierta, como estrategia de colaboración para acelerar el proceso de innovación. Sin embargo, la colaboración con socios científicos no beneficia ha acelerar proyectos de innovación tecnológica. Asimismo, este estudio sugiere que los proyectos de riesgo corporativo “venture capital” y de unidades de negocios establecidas ¨core Business” se benefician de la colaboración directa con socios de mercado y universidades. Finalmente, los dos estudios finales proporcionan directrices de política de innovación en la Unión Europea y en el Sistema de Innovación del Mediterráneo, donde la innovación abierta, la innovación de servicios y modelos de negocio representan la novedad en un estudio a nivel de la política. En general, esta tesis doctoral intenta conectar los estudios emergentes de innovación abierta y las teorías de gestión de la innovación, tales como los intermediarios de innovación, las capacidades dinámicas, la velocidad de la innovación, riesgo corporativo y la política de innovación. Las principales contribuciones académicas en esta tesis son: a) una tipología del modelo de negocio de diferentes intermediarios de innovación; b) una contribución al modelo de Zollo y Winter (2002) sobre los mecanismos de aprendizaje a través del uso de los intermediarios; c) laconfirmación empíricaque la innovación abierta acelera la velocidad de los procesos de innovación; d) la primera publicación sobre el Sistema de Innovación del Mediterráneo; y e) nuevas políticas de innovación para la Unión Europea. Finalmente, el estudio de la innovación abierta a diferentes niveles, desde múltiples perspectivas teóricas, el uso de datos cualitativos y cuantitativos y los diferentes métodos de análisis han facilitado el descubrimiento de nuevas oportunidades de investigación las que son presentadas al final de esta tesis.
Over the last decade, open innovation has impacted and enhanced firms’ collaboration strategies and public policy programs as this new ‘paradigm shift’ emerged from business’ needs to recover from the dot-com crash and belt-tightening of global recession. In this new wave of innovation, companies refocused on organic growth and in customer and consumer markets to enrich their business units and new corporate venturing initiatives. Also, open innovation gained importance in firm’s innovation strategies as technology and idea markets became a path to commercialize undeveloped solutions via licenses and patents. Moreover, given the need of innovation systems that require the collaboration among firms locally and internationally, public governments are designing new programs and strategies to capture the benefits of investment in R&D programs. This doctoral thesis addresses the aforementioned issues and provides a multi-level research framework that is comprised by seven complementary research articles. These provide a broad perspective on open innovation, from the project level to the innovation system level of analysis, each analyzing a unique area in enough depth to provide all the necessary insights and future valuable guidelines to managers and policy makers. The studies include an exploration of different types of innovation intermediaries in Europe and the US where the analysis reveals different approaches and value propositions adopted by innovation intermediaries. Two further studies focus on the business model of one-sided and two-sided innovation intermediaries and how these create and capture value for firms in technology and idea markets. These two independent case studies rely on archival information, interviews and surveys. A further in-depth case study of NineSigma – an innovation intermediary – reveals how intermediaries are not only beneficial to capture ideas from technology and idea markets but also to assist firms in articulating and codifying firms’ scientific problems. All these studies revealed firms’ seek for external knowledge to speed up their innovation process, as earlier results would allow them to launch faster products to market or determine the commercial unavailability of corporate venturing initiatives. The fifth study confirms open innovation collaboration speeds up the innovation process but collaboration with scientific partners do not help to speed up projects. Also, this study suggests when corporate venturing and core business unit can benefit from collaborating with external market and scientific partners. The two final studies provide innovation policy guidelines for the European Union and Mediterranean System of Innovation where open innovation, service innovation and business models represent the novelty in a policy level study. Overall, this doctoral thesis addresses the disconnection between open innovation studies and established streams of literature such as innovation intermediaries, dynamic capabilities, innovation speed, corporate venturing and innovation policy. The paramount academic contributions in this thesis include: a) an overarching business model typology of different innovation intermediaries, which is meant to be used to decide between collaborating with one-sided vs. two-sided innovation intermediaries; b) a contribution to Zollo and Winter’s (2002) framework on how innovation intermediaries help firms articulating and codifying knowledge and the managerial tensions and benefits of an intermediated external knowledge acquisition strategy; c) empirical support to the claim that open innovation speeds up the innovation process as well as the most advantageous type of collaboration to accelerate the speed of technology transfer, from research labs to business units, for corporate venturing and core business units; d) the first publication on the Mediterranean System of Innovation; and e) new policy initiatives for the European Union where the insights of open innovation and business models enlarged the common theoretical contributions on innovation systems. In this thesis the study of open innovation at different levels, the multiple theoretical perspectives, the use of qualitative and quantitative data and the different methods of analysis facilitated the discovery of future research opportunities. For this reason, this thesis concludes with recommendations for further scholarly research on open innovation, possible connections to established literatures and new methods and insights for managers interested on adopting open innovation in their own firms.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; and, (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2012.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-62).
Technological development is one of the main drivers in economic progress throughout the world and is strongly linked to the creation of new industries, jobs, and wealth. This thesis attempts to better understand how a specific technological field develops over time and to examine the policy implications resulting from that research. In order to research the specific field, we present a repeatable method to identify and describe the important innovations in an industry, using the solar photovoltaic industry as a case study. A set of 2484 patented inventions in the solar PV industry between 1961 and 2011 was selected and their metadata and textual information were analyzed using a mixture of qualitative, quantitative and objective tests. Within the patent set, a group of most highly cited patents was located and defined. We found that these highly cited patents improved on technologies across different technological hierarchy levels and that the hierarchy levels did not appear to follow any pattern over time. When compared with other patents in the set of 2484, the highly cited patents, contrary to some conjectures, did not apparently rely more on new scientific discoveries as they did not cite scientific literature more frequently than less cited patents. These findings support the theory that even the most important developments in a field are part of an integrated system and cannot be treated as standalone improvements. The work also indicates that ascribing the bulk of progress to "breakthroughs" is not seen in objective data. The thesis continues with an analysis of how these findings may apply to innovation polices in organizations. Finally, technological innovation strategies within MIT, Stanford and the United States Air Force are analyzed through the lens of the model constructed from the findings.
by Christopher L Benson.
S.M.in Technology and Policy
S.M.

Discussion continues about requiring a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) as the minimum requirement for entry into registered nursing practice. A Magnet-® recognized hospital located in the Northeast United States is requiring all registered nurses without a BSN (n=284 or 28%) to obtain their BSN by 2022 as a condition for employment. The purpose of this project was to quantify the potential number and rationale of nurses who are not planning to return to school. The 2 practice focused questions are (a) What is the rationale for nurses who do not plan to pursue their BSN degree and (b) What is the potential cost to the organization due to projected gaps in the workforce by 2022. The theory of reasoned action was utilized as a model of decision making. A total of 29% of non-BSN nurses responded to a questionnaire, with 54.55% replying that they plan to obtain their BSN by 2022. The primary barriers for not planning to return for a BSN were a perceived lack of the degree's value and financial issues. More than 1/3 of those respondents not planning to obtain the BSN are planning to retire, which is consistent with national trends. An extrapolation of data showed the nursing turnover rate rising to 10.62% as 2022 approaches, significantly higher than the normal rate of 5.3%. The turnover rate may increase recruiting and orientation costs for the hospital facility over both the short and long term in a state where nearly 38% of graduates have either a diploma or an associate degree in nursing. The social change implication is a need for a re-examination of roles for various levels of registered nursing or a consensus on the BSN for nursing licensure.

This paper examines the effects of adjustments in the key policy rate, included as the interbank rate, on the Swedish household sector debt from the second quarter of 2000 to the third quarter of 2019. The effect is examined through a Vector Error-Correction (VEC) model to determine if it provides results that are aligned with the given theory. The research question is “Does an increase in the repo rate temporarily decrease the Swedish household sector debt?”. The theory suggests that an increase in the policy rate will have a short-run negative effect on household debt. To short-run effect the economy and the inflation is also the intention of the central bank of Sweden, called Riksbanken. With regards to the short-run dynamics, the previous researchers have constructed quite simple models of estimation and concluded contradictory results. The VECM distinguish from the previous models by a long-run equilibrium. The model concludes a short-run negative effect on debt for an increase in the policy rate, with an insignificant long-run equilibrium. By regard to this, the findings of this paper agree with the given theory. The ongoing increase in the policy rate conducted by Riksbanken can be justified by this paper.

Since the first aircraft accident was attributed to the improper use of automation technology in 1996, the aviation community has recognized that the benefits of flight deck technology also have negative unintended consequences from both the technology itself and the human interaction required to implement and operate it. This mixed methods study looks at the relationship of technology to the severity of aircraft mishaps and the policy implications resulting from those relationships in order to improve safety of passenger carrying aircraft in the United States National Airspace System. U.S. mishap data from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Aviation Safety Reporting System was collected covering aircraft mishaps spanning the last twenty years. An ordinal regression was used to determine which types of flight deck technology played a significant role in the severity of aircraft mishaps ranging from minor to catastrophic. Using this information as a focal point, a qualitative analysis was undertaken to analyze the mechanisms for that impact, the effect of existing policy guidance relating to the use of technology, and the common behaviors not addressed by policy that provide a venue to address aviation safety. Some areas of current policy were found to be effective, while multiple areas of opportunity for intervention were uncovered at the various levels of aircraft control including the organizational, the supervisory, the preparatory, and the execution level that suggest policy adjustments that may be made to reduce incidence of control failure caused by cockpit automation.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs) Naval Postgraduate School, September 1998.
"September 1998." Thesis advisor(s): Glenn E. Robinson, Terry D. Johnson. Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-73). Also available online.

Today, school bullying does not just stop in the schoolyard. When children return home after a school day filled with bullying incidents they are oftentimes tormented by a new phenomenon: cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. Today, more adolescents and teens have access to technological mediums than ever before. Although different forms of technology can be used in productive manners, they are often misused by youth to torment their peers. Some researchers believe that cyberbullying can be even more detrimental than traditional bullying because cyberbullies can target victims through a variety of mediums, at any time. Cyberbullying can lead to harms ranging from short to long-term physical, psychological, intrapersonal and interpersonal effects in bullies, victims, and even cyberbystanders. School administrators struggle with the desire to help protect students from cyberbullying but are unsure of how they can intervene in activities involving off-campus behavior. These administrators have to find balance between protecting victims and avoiding violating the legal rights of bullies. Therefore, legislation and school policies must be updated and implemented to offer more guidance to administrators and protect students against cyberbullying. The purpose of this capstone project is to synthesize cyberbullying research among school-aged children and describe current policies in place to address this problem. Finally, policy recommendations for the state of Georgia will be offered so that systems and programs created to respond to and prevent cyberbullying may effectively reduce the occurrence of this behavior.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
The purpose of a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) program is to increase productivity as it allows individuals to access and manipulate data from non-traditional workplaces to support mission requirements. The United States Marine Corps(USMC) has started a pilot BYOD program, but a user policy for the USMC BYOD program has not yet been identified, despite the driving force that policy has on final implementation and potential acceptance. Therefore, this thesis answers the question, is it possible to develop a BYOD user policy for the USMC that minimizes risk for all parties while allowing for the intended flexibility? Three case studies were conducted on organizations that have implemented BYOD programs, comparing user policies and best practices to mitigate risks and address user privacy concerns. The case studies were also compared with governing Department of Defense instructions and National Institute of Standards and Technology guidance to identify a baseline of applicable security controls to formulate a viable user policy and agreement to support USMC security requirements. This thesis found that a clearly articulated user agreement tailored to the USMC’s technological solution can be written to support the successful implementation of its BYOD program to ensure the benefits outweigh the potential risks.

Heat stress due to ambient outdoor temperatures is a workplace hazard that has not been well studied or characterized. The incidence of occupational heat-related illness is unknown. Heat-related morbidity and mortality have been well-studied at the population level, however it cannot be determined if these findings extend systematically to workers exposed to high heat conditions. Remarkably, there is no U.S. federal standard to protect workers from the peril of elevated environmental temperatures and few states have protective regulations. This dissertation research will add to the limited knowledge base of occupational heat-related illnesses, by characterizing worker fatalities due to environmental heat stress. Three independent, but related, research strategies were designed, executed, and completed to evaluate the current research, as well as knowledge gaps, and to thoroughly describe these fatalities based on available information.

This work was initiated with a thorough literature review to summarize research findings that characterize U.S. occupational heat-related morbidity and mortality and identify gaps in the existing research literature. This review of science, health, and medical databases found that few studies examine ambient heat stress or characterize the incidence of occupational heat-related illnesses and outcomes. Significantly more research examining the heterogeneity of worker and environmental risk factors to heat exposure is needed to identify unsafe working conditions and implement practical, evidence-based heat-stress policies and interventions. The subsequent study describes the epidemiological characteristics of heat-related deaths among workers in the U.S. from 2000 to 2010. Fatality data were obtained at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the confidential on-site Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries database. Fatality rates and risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by year, sex, age group, ethnicity, race, state, and industry. Between 2000 and 2010, 359 occupational heat-related deaths were identified in the U.S., for a yearly average fatality rate of 0.22 per 1 million workers. Highest rates were found among Hispanics, men, the agriculture and construction industries, the states of Mississippi and Arkansas, and very small establishments. This study provides the first comprehensive national profile of heat-related deaths in the U.S. workplace. Prevention efforts should be directed at small businesses, states, industries and individuals who may be at increased risk of heat stress.

Lastly, to further characterize these fatalities, research was performed to: 1) determine the ranges of heat index and temperature at which workers fatally succumb to environmental heat; 2) identify risk factors that may influence heat-related deaths; and 3) translate these findings to policy recommendations. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the National Climate Data Center were used to identify worker heat-related deaths in the U.S., 2000- 2010, and to assign a maximum daily temperature and heat index to each case. Demographic, meteorological, and geographical variables were analyzed to evaluate any differences in fatal heat exposure. The National Weather Service temperature alert tools, the Excessive Heat Event warning and the heat index category chart, were utilized to assess community threshold suitability for workers subjected to exertional heat stress. Of the 327 cases that qualified for the analysis, there were no differences found in mean temperatures and heat indexes between the sexes, races, age groups, ethnic groups, and industries. Southern workers died at significantly higher temperatures than workers in the North. This study supports the use of heat index and temperature as a guide when evaluating environmental conditions for workers.

Population-level heat index threshold alerts are unsuitable for preventing exertional heat stress and new warning systems should be developed. Since heat-related health hazards at work can be anticipated before they manifest, preventive measures can be implemented before illness occurs. With no federal regulatory standards to protect workers from environmental heat exposure, and with climate change as a driver for adaptation and prevention of heat disorders, it is increasing sensible and imperative for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to take action. National leadership is needed to promulgate regulations, develop new heat alert tools using the heat index as a metric, and promote state-specific occupational heat stress prevention policies.

This thesis analyzes the estimation procedures and policy implications of an underground economy. In completing this task, we reviewed the techniques developed by Gutmann, Ferge, Tanzi, and others. Further attention was also given to the estimation processes, such as the survey approaches, used by various governments.
In analyzing the policy implications of an underground economy, we examined the effects of fiscal and monetary policy, the aggregate statistics, the exchange rate, and other equally important indicators. We concluded that the consequences of a large and growing submerged sector can be devastating to the economic variables.
Finally, this paper attempts to examine the Canadian underground economy. However, since the studies performed on the Canadian underground economy are limited, the task of both reviewing the literature, and determining the Canadian policy implications was perplexing. We concluded that there is a definite need for further study of the Canadian hidden sector.