Dissertations / Theses: 'United States. Minerals Management Service'

1

Ryan, Molly Michelle. "The house that Smokey built the Forest Service management of historic structures in wilderness /." Diss., [Missoula, Mont.] : The University of Montana, 2009. http://etd.lib.umt.edu/theses/available/etd-06252009-083658.

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Valera, Giselle Elisa. "Quantitative methods for testing pricing strategies at the United States Postal Service." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/111470.

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Thesis: M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2017.
"June 2017." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 69-72).
The United States Postal Service (USPS) faces intense competitive pressure in the shipping business. At the same time, shipping is becoming an increasingly critical segment of revenue and profitability for USPS. USPS' existing retail sales data can be analyzed for opportunities to improve profitability and the consumer experience. This paper introduces assortment optimization techniques USPS can use to identify improvements to their current retail pricing approach.
by Giselle Elisa Valera.
M.B.A.

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3

Taylor, Caysie Alisha. "Risk Management in United States Forest Service: National Environmental Policy Act Planning Processes." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33376.

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The United States Forest Service planning processes, which are driven in large part by the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), are a part of all major (and some minor) land management decisions by the agency. The outcomes of these processes are the result of multiple factors, many related to the manifold smaller incremental decisions made by agency personnel directing the processes. Through qualitative review of 21 NEPA documents and 5 case study processes in which we interviewed decision makers, team leaders, and team members, this study examines those incremental decisions and the factors that drive them. Risk emerged as a dominant lens through which agency personnel weigh and make process-related decisions. We identify the different types of risk perceived by agency actors and the risk management strategies they employ. Our interviews suggest that different actors within the agency tend to assume responsibility for responding to different forms of risk associated with particular tasks. Most time and energy appears to be focused on minimizing process-related risks, especially those caused by external entities in the form of public opposition and threats of appeal/litigation, rather than resource-related threats. We discuss the potential implications of this focus and its associated strategies on organizational and social learning within agency planning processes, on adaptive ecosystem management, and internal agency relationships and morale.
Master of Science

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4

Orth, Patricia Biddle. "Organizational change in the United States Forest Service| The role of community collaboration." Thesis, Colorado State University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3746123.

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Over the last three decades, collaboration has come to the fore as a way to address natural resource management problems that are often complex and contentious. As such, a new way of doing business has emerged for the United State Forest Service (USFS) as it engages community members in collaborative governance arrangements created to address forest management issues. USFS field-level personnel and the community stakeholders involved in collaborative governance arrangements expend valuable and limited resources to obtain collaborative outcomes. Field observations suggest that in order for collaborative outcomes to be durable and maintain longevity, changes must occur at the organizational level. However, few existing studies that document organizational changes made by natural resource land management agencies as a result of the agency’s engagement in collaborative governance arrangements with community stakeholders. This dissertation provides theoretical and practical insights into the organizational changes occurring at three USFS field offices.

This exploratory, qualitative study employs a case study approach and semi-structured interviews were conducted with agency personnel and non-agency stakeholders. Document analysis of meeting minutes and personal observation data were also conducted. The data yielded the richest results when interpreted through three overarching theoretical lenses: organizational change, public administration, and collaborative governance. The results revealed that organizational changes are occurring at the field-level as a result of the actions of individual actors as they cross organizational boundaries. The outcomes of these changes can be beneficial to the agency, but a cautionary tale is presented suggesting that collaborative processes may impede, if not derailed, by power imbalances. The role of trust, or more accurately, the lack thereof, and its ability to change organizational boundaries and create power imbalances in the shared decision-making arena emerged as finding of importance to land managers and collaborative governance theory.

This dissertation advances the scholarly and practical knowledge of organizational change by presenting empirical evidence of the impact of community collaboration on federal natural resource agencies. It is necessary for the leadership of the USFS to understand their role in the collaborative process and to understand how and why these changes are taking place if they are to be sensitive to the added pressures and tensions that collaboration brings to their individual staff members. Managers in the USFS will need to be cognizant of the attributes of trust and should encourage their staff to build trust with stakeholders if they wish to maintain equitable power positions in the shared decision-making process. Future research that provides evidence of the linkage between organizational change, trust, and power would be useful in further understanding how the collaborative process and the collaborative behavior of individuals in natural resource management links to the outcomes of collaboration.

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Tadevosyan, Davit. "System dynamic framework for analyzing organizational stress : United States Postal Service case study." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/100365.

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Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2014.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 102-106).
Stress, both individual and organizational, appears to be an increasing problem in any society, and more so in organizations. It already is taking a significant toll on corporate and national levels. Slow recovering economy and pressures on bottom lines, especially for financially constrained organizations, further emphasize the problem and call for new solutions. This paper explores two aspects of stress - individual and organizational. Our goal was to provide a systems dynamic framework that organizations, as well as individuals, can use to improve the understanding of the physiological and psychological stress loads, as well as understand their relationship to organizational key performance indicators. Like many natural systems, human body is the ultimate limited system. The main benefit of the proposed framework will be the ability to monitor cumulative variables of the functional capacity of human body to process stressors, and the mental and emotional capacity of employees to carry out their duties.
by Davit Tadevosyan.
S.M. in Engineering and Management

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6

Chamberlain, James Luther. "The Management of National Forests of Eastern United States for Non-Timber Forest Products." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30053.

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Many products are harvested from the forests of the United States in addition to timber. These non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are plants, parts of plants, or fungi that are harvested from within and on the edges of natural, disturbed or managed forests. Often, NTFPs are harvested from public forests for the socio-economic benefit they provide to rural collectors. Social science and market research methods were used to examine the extent that NTFPs are addressed in national forest management plans, identify and explore issues that affect their management, and determine the attitudes and perceptions of forest managers at various levels within the U.S. Forest Service. Non-timber forest products have not been considered in national forest management plans to the extent that have other forest resources. Fewer that 25 percent of the current management plans for the national forests of eastern United States address NTFPs. However, the Forest Service Directive System provides sufficient policy and procedural direction at the national and regional level for the management for NTFPs and legislation enacted in 2000 directs the Forest Service to develop a pilot program to beginning managing for these products. Managers with expertise and education in botany, wildlife, recreation, and wilderness had significantly more positive attitude toward managing for NTFPs than did managers with a more traditional (timber-based) educational background. A regression model of intention to include NTFPs in the forest management plans was developed using data from forest managers and based on the Theory of Reasoned Action. Both attitude and perception were found to be significant determinants of behavior intention. A common perception among forest managers is that NTFP management is not an issue of public concern. Also, managers do not perceive that the lack of management is a problem. Without a visible and vocal constituency, the impetus for change must necessarily come from within the organization. Efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to manage for NTFPs will be hampered by a lack of information and expertise. But, the activities of more progressive national forests suggest that sufficient knowledge does exist for the agency to take a more proactive approach to management.
Ph. D.

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7

Williamson, Jeffrey Carroll. "Employee retention in the Federal Government : a case study of the United States Postal Service." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/72852.

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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2012.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-117).
Following the worst financial crisis since the great depression, the United States has experienced three consecutive years of unemployment above 8%. The current economic situation has pushed the economy to the forefront of the 2012 Presidential election. At the heart this partisan economic debate is the issue regarding the size of the Federal Government. The objective of this thesis is not to debate the politics of how big the Federal Government should or should not be. I merely point to the current economic situation and the partisan debate because I believe they are masking a potential issue which will impact the efficiency and quality of the services provided by the Federal Government - the issue of employee retention. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the voluntary turnover of top performing talent. Regardless of one's beliefs regarding the size the Federal Government or what role it should play, it is hard to debate the need to employ talented, productive, and innovative leaders within the government. In this regard, the Federal Government is no different than any private business. As the world shrinks and technology rapidly changes how we live and work, the demands of managing a business or running a government have become increasingly complex. This thesis uses the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a case study to illustrate some of the employee retention challenges facing the Federal Government and how the agency has implemented policies and strategies to improve its ability to retain employees. During this difficult time in its history, it is increasingly important to attract and retain talented employees. The USPS is now facing financial uncertainty, a rapidly changing marketplace, and intense competition from the private sector for its top talent. This thesis will attempt to reconcile these and many other factors impacting turnover in the USPS and highlight what USPS is doing and recommend potential actions to improve employee retention.
by Jeffrey Carroll Williamson.
S.M.

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8

McNair, Lyndsey Alexandra. "Scottish substance misuse service providers' and service users' attitudes on contingency management : a comparison with United States and Australian service providers." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/29270.

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Background: Substance misuse in Scotland is increasing and with the price of illicit drugs decreasing, this makes experimentation more attractive and affordable. This has led to a need for services to expand approaches designed to tackle substance misuse. Psychosocial interventions, particularly those based on behavioural approaches, are thought to be a useful adjunct to pharmacological approaches. One intervention, with a strong evidence base is Contingency Management (CM) however it is poorly implemented in services. Research in the United States and Australia indicate that one of the main barriers to implementation is the beliefs and views of service providers on the principles and practices of CM. Aims: To explore the views of service providers in the statutory and voluntary/community sectors on CM and to gain an insight into service users' views of CM. The study looked at comparing Scottish service providers' views of CM against those of the American (Kirby et al., 2006) and Australian (Ritter and Cameron, 2007) samples. Design and Method: The study adopted both a quantitative and qualitative approach. Service providers' views on CM were gathered using the Provider Survey of Incentives (PS1) questionnaire and service users' views on CM were gathered via a qualitative focus group and analysed through a General Inductive Approach. PSI questionnaires were sent out to statutory (n=48) and voluntary/community agencies (n=22) working with individuals, currently or previously using substances. The focus group comprised members of a service-user involvement group from the Scottish Drug's Forum (SDF). Participants were both male (n=7) and female (n=2) and at varying stages of abstinence. The process of analysis involved generating codes from the thematic content of the data, to produce overall themes that arose from the group. Results & Conclusions: Quantitative analysis involved carrying out mixed model ANOVAs to determine if there were differences between statutory and voluntary responses to unique tangible and social items and overall tangible and social incentives. In keeping with the analysis of the comparison papers, frequency results are reported for responses to the parallel tangible and social items and compared against responses from published data from the United States and Australia. The qualitative process of analysis involved generating codes from the thematic content of the data, to produce overall themes that arose from the focus group. Overall, the Scottish sample showed less concern regarding CM approaches than the Australian sample, but more concern than the American sample. The main concern in the Scottish, American and Australian samples was that incentive programmes do not address the underlying causes of addiction. This was also highlighted by service users, who felt that incentive programmes do not address the other needs of the individual. It was also found that issues service providers felt were not problematic were raised as particular concerns by service users, such as the artificial nature of social praise and the potential for tangible incentives to be sold. It was concluded that it would be beneficial for service providers to collect the views of service users, should they wish to implement CM approaches.

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9

Alston, Richard A. (Richard Allen). "The future role of the telecommunications industry in providing cable TV service in the United States." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/14273.

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Busiony, Ismail Ali. "Strategic Human Resources Planning in American Industrial and Service Companies." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1988. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331523/.

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This study investigated the current practices of strategic human resources planning (SHRP) at large industrial and service companies in the United States and compared these practices with Walker's Four Stages of Human Resources planning model. The data for this study were collected from 130 industrial companies and 117 service companies listed in Fortune directories of the largest 500 industrial and largest 500 service companies in the United States. The study investigated also the impact of internal and external environmental factors on these companies' practices of SHRP. MANOVA, Factor Analysis, and Percentile Analysis were used as prime statistical methods in this study. Environmental factors studied were found to explain 78 per cent of the variances among large American companies. No significant difference was found between industrial and service companies in their SHRP practices. Significant improvements have taken place in large United States business corporations' practices of SHRP since the introduction of Walker's model (1974). These improvements took place in human resources information systems, forecasting human resource needs, human resource planning and development, and evaluation of SHRP projects, but the improvements were unbalanced. The improvements in corporate-centered SHRP activities were greater than the improvements in employee-centered SHRP activities. The reasons for unbalanced developments were explained and future directions were predicted. The findings of this study were compared to the findings of many recent studies in SHRP fields and future directions of the developments of SHRP were discussed. The conclusions of this study suggested that United States corporations are in need of balanced development in both employee-centered and corporate-centered SHRP. American companies are in need of advanced models to shape their practice in SHRP fields. Walker's model has been evaluated as the best available model. The study showed that mediumsized companies in the United States will benefit from SHRP and that they are able to pay the cost of SHRP projects. Several implications and recommendations for future studies and for business and educational institutions are listed.

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Foss, Sean M. "The National Security Personnel System : Department of Defense civilian personnel structures and the U.S. legislative process /." Thesis, access full text online, 2004. http://theses.nps.navy.mil/04Jun%5FFoss.pdf.

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Shareef, Reginald A. T. "Assessing organizational change: quality of work life interventions in the United States Postal Service." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/54419.

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Because of the changing nature of our society, it is agreed by scholars and practitioners that both private and public organizations face many uncertainties. Diverse solutions have been advanced to remedy these organizational maladies. One of the most popular solutions, theoretical and applied, has been the utilization of Quality of WorkLife (QWL) interventions. The position taken in this dissertation is that in spite of the glowing testimonials about the effectiveness of QWL applications, it is still difficult to reach any definitive conclusions pertaining to the success(es) of this approach to the organizational change process. Previous research has offered little empirical data to support many of the theoretical assumptions QWL is based on. Furthermore, most organizations have utilized the human relations conceptual framework (i.e., satisfaction causes performance) to describe the implementation and diffusion of the QWL process. Indeed, the organization evaluated in this study utilized this approach in its QWL endeavor. However, this investigation endorses a different concept, subsystems congruence, to achieve the institutionalization of QWL. A growing body of research literature strongly suggests that this integrated approach offers the best model for successful QWL intervention. Enhancing our understanding of QWL applications and processes is the focus of this study. This knowledge is necessary so organizational leaders, consultants, and academicians will better understand the nature and complexity of implementing, evaluating and institutionalizing various QWL interventions.
Ph. D.

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13

Potter, John E. (John Edward). "A study of labor-management relations : the United States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/11507.

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14

Hudson, Mark. "The slow co-production of disaster : wildfire, timber capital, and the United States Forest Service /." view abstract or download file of text, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1335359621&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=11238&RQT=309&VName=PQD.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007.
Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-205). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

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15

Jackson, James Charles. "Facility Management Process Improvement for Small National Parks in the Southeast Region of the United States." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/5247.

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This thesis illustrates a process by which small organizations in the National Park Service can implement minor changes in current management and contracting practices to achieve measurable improvements in economy and efficiency by applying the principles and procedures outlined for competitive sourcing studies in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 (May 2003).

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Dickerson, Jerry L. "A teaching and resource manual on stress management for evangelical chaplains serving with the United States Naval Service." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) Access this title online, 1991. http://www.tren.com.

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Olmsted, Daniel T. "Effective Environmental Management of the National Park Service: A Case Study of Channel Islands National Park." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2010. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/51.

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The topic of protected area management serves as the focal point of my thesis. The fundamental question I seek to answer is; what constitutes effective environmental management and how is it exemplified in the National Park Service (NPS)? How exactly does the NPS continually earn the trust and confidence of the American people when so many other government agencies are viewed in a negative light? How does the Channel Islands National Park, in particular, shape the economic and political framework in which it operates to achieve its goals? How does this agency effectively manage such a complex ecosystem spanning across five unique islands and the surrounding waters? More specifically, I examine how the NPS designs and implements strategies to simultaneously monitor a variety of endemic species, some of which are on the endangered species list, into feasible tasks and fundable projects. A wealth of information exists providing salient recommendations for improving endangered species recovery efforts, but this paper provides a detailed comparison of two contemporary recovery programs dealing with independent declines of the same species: the island fox. Finally, there is an overlapping mix of jurisdiction responsible for protecting the Channel Islands and I will also be examining the collaborative processes that take place among the multiple stakeholders such as the U.S. Navy, Catalina Island Conservancy, and The Nature Conservancy. The primary purpose of this thesis is to assess the relationships the NPS develops with other agencies in order to fulfill its mission within the context of the Channel Islands.

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Sigmon, Kelly M. (Kelly Marie Berg). "A franchising of retail operations : the case of the United States Postal Service building a retail network for the 21st century." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/59128.

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Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2010.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-75).
This thesis is about the effects of changing customer preferences on the United States Postal Service's retail network and offers a process for wider adoption of its current retail partnership program. The Contract Postal Unit (CPU) program represents 10 percent of the Postal Service's current outlets. This is a form of franchising. This thesis reviews franchising theory and highlights key research in the area to develop a business framework. Since many of the foreign posts have also been experimenting with operations similar to the CPU program, the franchising programs of four European posts are reviewed. I conclude by offering an approach that the Postal Service may use to look at how and when its customers use its products and services at their retail outlets and provide several recommendations that the Postal Service might consider if and when the Contract Postal Unit program is expanded.
by Kelly M. Sigmon.
M.B.A.

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19

Nguyen, Hung Phu. "The Values, Institutions, and Market Factors in the Make-or-Buy decisions of the United States Postal Service." The Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1228176136.

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20

Needleman, Edith Berkowitz. "Achieving organizational excellence through managing diversity: enhancing productivity, self concept, and career development." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/38791.

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21

Sinclair, Donna Lynn. "Caring for the Land, Serving People: Creating a Multicultural Forest Service in the Civil Rights Era." PDXScholar, 2015. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2463.

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This qualitative study of representative bureaucracy examines the extension and limitations of liberal democratic rights by connecting environmental and social history with policy, individual decision making, gender, race, and class in American history. It documents major cultural shifts in a homogeneous patriarchal organization, constraints, advancement, and the historical agency of women and minorities. "Creating a Multicultural Forest Service" identifies a relationship between natural and human resources and tells a story of expanding and contracting civil liberties that shifted over time from women and people of color to include the differently-abled and LGBT communities. It includes oral history as a key to uncovering individual decision points, relational networks, organizational activism, and human/nature relations to shape meaningful explanations of historical institutional change. With gender and race as primary categories, this inquiry forms a history that is critical to understanding federal bureaucratic efforts to meet workforce diversity goals in natural resource organizations.

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22

Bennett, Cathy. "The U.S. Forest Service : business as usual." Scholarly Commons, 2003. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/583.

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There are two prevailing views today about our forests and natural resources. Both views are considered the "right" view, each position comprising a set of values by which we make decisions and choices about using our natural resources. The "dominant world view," is anthropocentric and agriculturally based, with a strong belief that we can "fix" environmental problems through the use of technology. The key result of this view is a belief in the efficiency of economic expansion and its continued growth. The second view maintains we are part of nature, not masters of it, and that we have developed an arrogant attitude toward nature, believing we have the right to do as we wish regardless of the consequences. The result of this view is a belief in the interconnectedness of all life, thus all life has rights. This work argues that the "dominant" worldview shaped the policies of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Consistent with this worldview, the USFS management. paradigm was to provide the greatest return, a commodity-driven focus. However, when public values changed towards a more ecocentric view, the USFS should have reevaluated its method of doing business. Instead, it remained entrenched in its management objective- timber production. After the courts enjoined the USFS against cutting in the Pacific Northwest, aftet struggling with confrontational environmentalists and increased activism within the agency, the USFS attempted to re-write its management paradigm. However even though the policy sounds eco-friendly, the USFS is still mandated by Congress, and forced by appropriations approved by Congress, to cut trees. Different ideologies are accommodated only when they do not conflict with economics. Thus, in spite of changing values, it is still business as usual.

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Lawson, Angela Dawn. "Deploying the right technology : a framework for digital strategy and selection at the United States Postal Service to shape the future of work." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/126905.

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Thesis: M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, May, 2020
Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis. "May 2020."
Includes bibliographical references (pages 84-86).
With the rapid evolution of technology from more affordable hardware and data storage to artificial intelligence, companies must evolve their technology strategy to remain relevant. Federal agencies are no exception as they continue to deploy transformational technology to improve services for the American public. An important issue has surfaced in the evolution of technology and the increasing speed of innovation where companies no longer need to find technologies to solve their problems, rather they need to select the right technologies to focus their attention to best define the future of work. Methodologies are common across industries but how do they apply to public service? Is a qualitative or quantitative process possible for vetting new and existing technology implementations while remaining adaptive and service-oriented? This paper explores the development of a framework that provides guidance on deploying the right technologies. I will draw on desk research of existing methodologies while gathering information on effectiveness of past deployments to define a guiding framework for technology selection. These findings can assist in future decisions for technology investment along with tripwires for retiring existing technologies.
by Angela Dawn Lawson.
M.B.A.
M.B.A. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management

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Stewart, Chanet N. "An effectiveness analysis of the U.S. Federal Government executive branch ethics policy and program." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2003. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion-image/03Jun%5FStewart.pdf.

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kelly, patrick. "A COMPARTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EVOLUTION OF FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES IN GENERAL, WITH A FOCUS ON OREGON, NORTH CAROL." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2006. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2318.

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ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and discuss the evolution of forest management practices in the United States. The paper discusses the trends in forest management that have occurred within the United States in general, and specifically within the western (Oregon) and southern (North Carolina and Florida) United States. The trends discussed include the three (3) to four (4) epochs of management and use that are generally accepted within the forest management literature, with the exception of North Carolina that is in the process of a fifth (5). The comparative analysis within the paper discusses the western model of management which tends to be distinctly different from the southern model in terms of regulatory approaches. The western model (i.e. Oregon) tends to be highly regulated, while the southern model is primarily voluntary, and quasi-regulatory in terms of using alternative mechanisms of regulation (i.e. Best Management Practices that regulate water quality). The paper also discusses the role of professionalism within the various forest services in each state, although the regulatory mechanism is the most important explanatory variable. In general, each state's forest services tend to be highly professional with licensing requirements, educational services and cooperative management. The two models are also distinctly different in terms of ownership, with Oregon being owned (nearly 50%) by the public, whereas the southern states are dominated by Nonindustrial Private Forest Owners (NIPF).
M.A.
Department of Political Science
Arts and Sciences
Political Science

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26

Hubbell, Larry. "The federal civil servant as hero: the calling to governance." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/54196.

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The morale of the federal workforce is probably at an all time low. The malaise that shrouds the federal workforce is primarily caused by a sense of alienation that many federal workers feel. They feel alienated from themselves and from a community. In this book I approach the problem of alienation from theoretical, personal and empirical perspectives. To gain a deeper understanding of the alienation of the organizational employee, one must look at the individual holistically. Using Carl Jung as my guide and employing his theories of the unconscious, spirituality, individuation and psychological type, I develop what I call an organizational personality typology. This organizational personality typology is contrasted with the more conventional and more one-dimensional organizational role typologies developed by organizational theorists such as Anthony Downs in Inside Bureaucracy and Robert Presthus in The Organizational of contact with their environment and themselves, a sense of meaninglessness and alienation, and an obliviousness to messages from their unconscious. Other people choose the journey of heroism. The heroic journey as portrayed in the heroic myth serves as a model for those people in search of psychological health and spiritual sustenance. It is a journey that has three primary stages: the calling, the encounter with death, and the return to the community. Each of these stages has applicability to the American public administration tradition. The heroic journey is not merely confined to the world of myth. The heroic journey, as practiced in the public service, has current exemplars in both novels and in real life. Furthermore, it is a journey that is open to both the GS-3 clerk and the agency administrator. It is an attitude reflective of a life-affirming stance towards oneself and others.
Ph. D.

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27

Bennett, Cathy. "The U.S. Forest Service : business as usual : a thesis." Scholarly Commons, 2001. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/583.

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There are two prevailing views today about our forests and natural resources. Both views are considered the "right" view, each position comprising a set of values by which we make decisions and choices about using our natural resources. The "dominant world view," is anthropocentric and agriculturally based, with a strong belief that we can "fix" environmental problems through the use of technology. The key result of this view is a belief in the efficiency of economic expansion and its continued growth. The second view maintains we are part of nature, not masters of it, and that we have developed an arrogant attitude toward nature, believing we have the right to do as we wish regardless of the consequences. The result of this view is a belief in the interconnectedness of all life, thus all life has rights. This work argues that the "dominant" worldview shaped the policies of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Consistent with this worldview, the USFS management. paradigm was to provide the greatest return, a commodity-driven focus. However, when public values changed towards a more ecocentric view, the USFS should have reevaluated its method of doing business. Instead, it remained entrenched in its management objective- timber production. After the courts enjoined the USFS against cutting in the Pacific Northwest, aftet struggling with confrontational environmentalists and increased activism within the agency, the USFS attempted to re-write its management paradigm. However even though the policy sounds eco-friendly, the USFS is still mandated by Congress, and forced by appropriations approved by Congress, to cut trees. Different ideologies are accommodated only when they do not conflict with economics. Thus, in spite of changing values, it is still business as usual.

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28

Bizzotto, Magalhaes Garcia Rafael. "International Market Assessment and Entry – United States’ Fast Casual Firm Entering the Brazilian Food Market." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1560964690816666.

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Agim, Innocent Ukomadu. "Merit pay in the public sector : bright promise or false hope /." Diss., This resource online, 1994. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02052007-081245/.

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Doherty, Vincent J. "Metrics for success : using metrics in exercises to assess the preparedness of the fire service in Homeland Security." Thesis, Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2004. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA424982.

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Thesis (M.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 2004.
Title from title page of source document (viewed on April 23, 2008). "Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited." Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-74).

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Pinto, Robin Lothrop. "Cattle Grazing in the National Parks: Historical Development and History of Management in Three Southern Arizona Parks." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3625734.

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This dissertation traces the history of cattle grazing at Saguaro NP, Organ Pipe Cactus NM and Fort Bowie NHS in southern Arizona. This collection of studies examines the factors affecting that use, the ranchers who made their living from the landscape, and the federal land managers responsible for sustaining the natural and cultural resources.

A dominant industry on arid public lands since the Civil War, grazing was altered by a variety of influences: environmental and human-derived. Ranching communities developed from homesteading settlements. Success was determined by climate, topography, and natural resources; social and cultural pressures; economic events and political legislation; and later federal regulations and decisions.

The first agency to oversee grazing, USFS was under constant pressure to maximize short-term human benefits. The NPS Organic Act of 1916 mandated conservation of natural resources "by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations" and yet approved cattle grazing, an extractive use, under USFS management. Park managers were frustrated by grazing practices not under their control. Parks were at a cultural and social disadvantage. Residents and politicians often expressed displeasure at park reservations; communities feared that parks would interfere with local industries.

Park employees supervised visitors and developed recreation infrastructure; they came with little experience to manage livestock. Lack of funding for research, limited manpower, and political and administrative interference allowed cattle grazing to continue unregulated for decades altering vegetation and enhancing erosion. In the 1960s, changing values from the environmental movement, the waning power of the livestock industry, and the rise of activist scientists impelled NPS to act. Without monitoring data, NPS turned to legal opinions to terminate grazing.

Now grazing is regulated and carefully monitored. NPS is mandated to incorporate research results into management decisions. Older grazing permits are being retired, but land acquisitions for park additions add new management challenges. Purchasing permits offers a new but financially limited opportunity to protect sensitive lands. Grazing has ended at all three parks, yet ecological changes and historic structures remain. As cultural and administrative legacies, those remnants offer opportunities to interpret a significant regional tradition and an untold controversy.

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Eicher, Michael. "Protecting diplomats in Iraq what can the U.S. Department of State do to improve it's management and oversight of security contractors in Iraq? /." Quantico, VA : Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA491053.

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Berrios-Ayala, Mark. "Brave New World Reloaded: Advocating for Basic Constitutional Search Protections to Apply to Cell Phones from Eavesdropping and Tracking by Government and Corporate Entities." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2013. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/1547.

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Imagine a world where someone’s personal information is constantly compromised, where federal government entities AKA Big Brother always knows what anyone is Googling, who an individual is texting, and their emoticons on Twitter. Government entities have been doing this for years; they never cared if they were breaking the law or their moral compass of human dignity. Every day the Federal government blatantly siphons data with programs from the original ECHELON to the new series like PRISM and Xkeyscore so they can keep their tabs on issues that are none of their business; namely, the personal lives of millions. Our allies are taking note; some are learning our bad habits, from Government Communications Headquarters’ (GCHQ) mass shadowing sharing plan to America’s Russian inspiration, SORM. Some countries are following the United States’ poster child pose of a Brave New World like order of global events. Others like Germany are showing their resolve in their disdain for the rise of tyranny. Soon, these new found surveillance troubles will test the resolve of the American Constitution and its nation’s strong love and tradition of liberty. Courts are currently at work to resolve how current concepts of liberty and privacy apply to the current conditions facing the privacy of society. It remains to be determined how liberty will be affected as well; liberty for the United States of America, for the European Union, the Russian Federation and for the people of the World in regards to the extent of privacy in today’s blurred privacy expectations.
B.S.
Bachelors
Health and Public Affairs
Legal Studies

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Newton, Tygh J. "The effects of a performance measurement intervention on sociotechnical variables and performance." Thesis, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/33334.

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The "global marketplace" has been a driving force for change, resulting in a dramatic increase in competition and expectations of consumers. With more mailing options available, consumers are scrutinizing service and cost performance at a level never-before experienced by the United States Postal Service. For an organization that has operated as a relatively stable government agency for 224 years, the environmental changes are severe, and necessitating the need for change. This thesis studied the impact of a management intervention on performance at a USPS processing and distribution center. The intervention installed a performance measurement system. A quasi-experimental methodology utilizing a nonequivalent comparison group was utilized to evaluate the impact of this intervention on both management process variables and operational performance indicators. The framework for the management process variables originated from the sociotechnical literature. There was evidence to support that operational performance improved and several process management variables changed following the intervention.
Graduation date: 1999

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Wan, Lin. "Staff planning and scheduling in the service industry: an application to US Postal Service mail processing and distribution centers." Thesis, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/1756.

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Miller, Aubrey David. "The role of the US Forest Service amidst change : a framework for effective ecosystem management in the face of climate change /." 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10288/1180.

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Nathan, Sarah Katheryn. "Women in voluntary service associations : values and meanings." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1805/4078.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
This study examines the essential features of women’s experiences as members of a service association. It uses a qualitative method to understand how women make meaning from their membership in an all-female association and a mixed-gender association. The experiences were examined in comparative contexts. The study finds three common features in each association: joining, volunteering, and leading. In the mixed-gender association, women also experienced a process of assimilating into membership activities. The study provides scholars and association practitioners insights into the complex blend of members’ personal and professional interests with implications for membership recruitment and retention.

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Parsons, Christopher. "The Politics of Deep Packet Inspection: What Drives Surveillance by Internet Service Providers?" Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/5024.

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Surveillance on the Internet today extends beyond collecting intelligence at the layer of the Web: major telecommunications companies use technologies to monitor, mediate, and modify data traffic in real time. Such companies functionally represent communicative bottlenecks through which online actions must pass before reaching the global Internet and are thus perfectly positioned to develop rich profiles of their subscribers and modify what they read, do, or say online. And some companies have sought to do just that. A key technology, deep packet inspection (DPI), facilitates such practices. In the course of evaluating the practices, regulations, and politics that have driven DPI in Canada, the US, and UK it has become evident that the adoption of DPI tends to be dependent on socio-political and economic conditions. Simply put, market or governmental demand is often a prerequisite for the technology’s adoption by ISPs. However, the existence of such demand is no indication of the success of such technologies; regulatory or political advocacy can lead to the restriction or ejection of particular DPI-related practices. The dissertation proceeds by first outlining how DPI functions and then what has driven its adoption in Canada, the US, and UK. Three conceptual frameworks, path dependency, international governance, and domestic framing, are used to explain whether power structures embedded into technological systems themselves, international standards bodies, or domestic politics are principally responsible for the adoption or resistance to the technology in each nation. After exploring how DPI has arisen as an issue in the respective states I argue that though domestic conditions have principally driven DPI’s adoption, and though the domestic methods of governing DPI and its associated practices have varied across cases, the outcomes of such governance are often quite similar. More broadly, I argue that while the technology and its associated practices constitute surveillance and can infringe upon individuals’ privacy, the debates around DPI must more expansively consider how DPI raises existential risks to deliberative democratic states. I conclude by offering some suggestions on defraying the risks DPI poses to such states.
Graduate
0615
0708
christopher@christopher-parsons.com

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Kim, Sung-Ju. "The impact of federal government welfare expenditures on state government expenditures and philanthropic giving to human service organizations (HSOs) : 2005-2006." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1805/4523.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
A sizeable body of research has attempted to examine the interaction between government spending and private giving known as the crowd-out effect. Most researchers reported that increases of government spending cause decreases of philanthropic giving to different types of nonprofits. However, few studies have attempted to indicate the interaction between government welfare expenditures and private giving to human service organizations even though human service organizations are the most sensitive to the changes of government spending. Additionally, the estimated crowd-out effects with a simple crowd-out model have been criticized for potential endogeneity bias. This paper investigates the total effect of federal government welfare spending on state government expenditures and philanthropic giving to human service organizations (known as joint crowd-out). I used the 2005 wave of the Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS) to estimate the effect of federal human service grants on state government spending on, and donations to human services. From these reduced-form estimates I infer the levels of simple and joint crowd-out. I found that indicate federal spending on public welfare crowds out private giving to human service organizations while holding control variables constant in the donations equation. However, federal government spending on public welfare crowds in state government spending on public welfare.

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Langford, Theresa E. "Diversity at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site : processes of diversification in historical interpretation, visitor services, and workforce management." Thesis, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28415.

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Issues of diversity are receiving significant attention within the National Park Service recently, due in large part to a growing awareness that its future as a relevant and viable agency is dependent upon improving its response to and management of diversity. A diversity assessment of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site was undertaken to assist the site in its diversification efforts involving three interrelated areas: historical interpretation, visitor services, and workforce management. Data from research and semi-formal interviews with staff and volunteers were analyzed to identify appropriate, site-specific strategies for expanding dynamic interpretation of diverse groups within the historical context, improving the quality of visitation for diverse audiences, and more fully utilizing personnel and community organizations to strengthen the two topics outlined above. Historical interpretation is the main focus of the analysis, not only because it forms the fundamental duty of the historic site, but also because diversifying an interpretive program carries the most potential for forming emotional and intellectual connections with diverse visitors, thus increasing participation, financial security, and continued relevance.
Graduation date: 2000

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Hollingshead, Nicole A. "An investigation of medical trainees' self-insight into their chronic pain management decisions." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1805/4842.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
While the majority of chronic pain patients report receiving inadequate care, there is evidence that female and Black patients receive less analgesic medications and treatment for their chronic pain compared to male and White patients, respectively. While treatment disparities have been evidenced in the literature, there is little understanding of provider-factors, such as their decision-making awareness and attitudes, which may contribute to the differences in treatment. This investigation employed quantitative and qualitative procedures to examine the relationship between patient demographics and chronic pain treatment variability, providers’ awareness of these non-medical influences on their decisions, and the extent to which providers’ gender and racial attitudes associate with their treatment decisions. Twenty healthcare trainees made pain treatment decisions (opioid, antidepressant, physical therapy, pain specialty referral) for 16 computer-simulated patients presenting with chronic low back pain; patient sex and race were manipulated across vignettes. Participants then selected among 9 factors, including patient demographics, to indicate which factors influenced their treatment decisions for the simulated patients and completed gender and racial attitude measures. After online study completion, follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted to discuss the medical/non-medical factors that influence trainees’ clinical treatment decisions. Quantitative analysis indicated that 5%-25% of trainees were actually influenced (p<0.10) by patient sex and race in their treatments, and on the whole, trainees gave higher antidepressant ratings to White than Black patients (p<.05). Fifty-five percent demonstrated concordance, or awareness, between their actual and reported use of patient demographics. Follow-up McNemar’s test indicated trainees were generally aware of the influence of demographics on their decisions. Overall, gender and racial attitudes did not associate with trainees’ treatment decisions, except trainees’ complementary stereotypes about Black individuals were positively associated with their opioid decisions for White patients. During qualitative interviews, aware and unaware trainees discussed similar themes related to sex and racial/ethnic differences in pain presentation and tailoring treatments. We found that (1) a subset of trainees were influenced by patient sex and race when making chronic pain treatment decisions, (2) trainees were generally aware of the influence of patient demographics, and (3) trainees discussed differences in pain presentation based on patients’ sex and ethnic origin. These findings suggest trainees’ are influenced by patient demographics and hold stereotypes about patient populations, which may play a role in their decision-making.

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Burright, Harmony S. J. "Beyond random acts of conservation : an institutional analysis of the Natural Resource Conservation Service's Agricultural Water Enhancement Program." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/30033.

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Irrigated agriculture accounts for 90 percent of consumptive use of freshwater in the western US and is considered the largest contributor to nonpoint source water pollution. The diffuse nature of most water quality and quantity challenges necessitates institutions that can more effectively engage agricultural producers in strategic, integrated, watershed-scale approaches to water management such as those associated with Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). With approximately 9,400 professionals working in nearly every one of the nation's 3,071 counties and an emphasis on voluntary, incentives-based approaches to conservation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is well poised to influence land and water management on private working lands. NRCS conservation programs, however, have been criticized as "random acts of conservation" that lack a strategic vision for addressing natural resource challenges at-scale. Using NRCS's new Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) as a case study, this paper seeks to examine the factors that enable or inhibit NRCS from promoting an integrated approach to water management consistent with IWRM principles. Following the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework this paper traces the development of AWEP and examines how the rules established at the national level impact implementation at the national, state and local levels. The paper then evaluates AWEP based on a set of six IWRM design principles to determine (a) the extent to which AWEP represents an IWRM approach, and (b) the institutional factors that facilitate or inhibit NRCS from taking a more integrated approach to water management. I found that institutional factors vary greatly between levels of analysis depending on the specific context, but did identify several consistent enablers and barriers. The three most significant factors that facilitate an IWRM approach are: (1) AWEP's focus on priority resource concerns within a defined hydrographic area; (2) AWEP's emphasis on pursuing a partnership-based approach; and (3) increased local involvement in defining projects. The three most significant factors that inhibit an IWRM approach are: (1) a lack of clarity concerning partner roles and responsibilities and constraints on partner involvement; (2) limited flexibility of existing program rules; and (3) limited local capacity to engage with landowners and implement projects. The paper offers institutional recommendations for facilitating an IWRM approach within NRCS, and concludes with a consideration of the utility of IWRM design principles and the IAD framework for analyzing water management institutions.
Graduation date: 2012

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Maier, Carolin. "Building social capital through community-agency collaboration : a survey of residents in northeast Washington." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/29106.

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Over the past half century, the USDA Forest Service has increasingly faced diverse and often competing demands for forest resources, ranging from recreation, to ecosystem services, and timber supply. Building positive community-agency relationships has become increasingly important. Such relationships can improve community support for forest planning and management activities, ultimately making the agency more efficient and effective, while also providing economic and social benefit to local communities. The development of social capital may play an important role in promoting positive agency-community relationships. Broadly defined, the term refers to the social networks between individuals and groups that create a willingness and ability to act collectively toward a common goal. This study focuses on the impact that a partnership between the Colville National Forest and Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition has had on rural Northeast Washington communities. Overall, our study suggests the partnership has positively impacted networks among community members and networks between the community and the Forest Service. However, there is room for improvement. Many study participants were not familiar with important details about the Coalition's membership and objectives, or how its work may impact them or their community. Targeted outreach efforts will likely lead to greater support for the partnership. Such efforts could also strengthen networks among community members and community-agency networks as individuals learn how the partnership can benefit them and issues they care about.
Graduation date: 2012

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'United States. Minerals Management Service'

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