This or that? Managerial responses to competing priorities in organizations

Purpose This study aims to examine current scholarly literature on how managers address competing priorities in organizations. It consolidates existing contributions into an organizing framework to guide future research. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was used to identify, select and review peer-reviewed articles from Scopus, ABI/Inform and ScienceDirect (Elsevier) databases over 4 decades. Findings This study identified the antecedents and conditions of competing managerial priorities in organizations and highlighted potential managerial responses, including addressing, altering, converging, postponing and neglecting. Originality/value This study represents a primary reference in management and organizational studies for scholars interested in competing priorities in organizations. It discusses the implications for scholarly theories and managerial practices and provides an agenda for future research

Analysis of Fat-track Projects in the Public Sector in the United Arab Emirates

A Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Mariam Alsuwaidi entitled, “Analysis of Fat-track Projects in the Public Sector in the United Arab Emirates”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a global leader in large-scale public infrastructure projects, driven by an ambitious national development agenda. To meet pressing deadlines and accommodate growing demands, many governmental projects adopt a fast-tracking approach. Although this method shortens delivery timelines, it also brings about significant challenges, including cost overruns, quality risks, coordination difficulties, and heightened safety concerns. This study investigates the practical application of fast-track project management in the UAE public sector using a mixed-methods approach. It incorporates literature review, in-depth regional case studies, a structured survey of UAE-based project managers, and advanced analysis using Bayesian Belief Networks to uncover relationships between key success factors.The results reveal that frequent changes in project requirements, limited adoption of digital tools, and gaps in stakeholder communication are major barriers to success. Technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learing (ML), and Internet of Things (IoT) remain underutilized despite their potential to improve project performance. Recommendations include developing structured fast-track frameworks, promoting technology integration, enhancing contingency planning, and utilizing post-project evaluations. The findings offer practical guidance for improving fast-track execution and provide a foundation for future research into sustainable and technology-driven project delivery.College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringMaster of Science in Engineering Systems Management (MSESM

Auditor Characteristics and Their Impact on Information Asymmetry in R&D Intensive Firms

A Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) by Shahad Melhem Abdulrahman Al Melhem entitled, “Auditor Characteristics and Their Impact on Information Asymmetry in R&D Intensive Firms”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Ashraf Khallaf. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Approval Signatures, Completion Certificate, and AUS Archives Consent Form).School of Business AdministrationDepartment of AccountingMaster of Science in Accounting (MSA

Exploring the Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Mechanical Engineering Education

A Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Mohannad Alghazo entitled, “Exploring the Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Mechanical Engineering Education”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Vian Ahmed and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Zied Bahroun. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).The advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) presents new opportunities and challenges in Mechanical Engineering Education (MEE). However, literature lacks the exploration of GAI’S application in this field. Therefore, this research highlights this gap by evaluating various free versions of GAI tools, including Code Copilot, ChatGPT/ScholarGPT, Gemini, Claude, and ChatPDF, across various aspects of the MEE curriculum. The study classifies and analyzes these tools according to their effectiveness in computational/conceptualization problems, theoretical problem-solving, image analysis & schematics, research, CAD drawing, simulation, and coding. Subsequently, a mixed exploratory research approach was deployed, incorporating qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Variables were identified through a systematic literature review and expert interviews and were then validated through surveys data analysis. Statistical techniques, including Relative Importance Index (RII), Cronbach’s α, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modeling (PLS-SEM), were conducted to identify the most significant factors and validate them, as well as to assess the relationships between enablers, challenges, strategies, psychological factors, and faculty and student perceptions of GAI. Findings suggest that Code Copilot is the most effective for computational tasks and coding related applications, while ChatGPT excels in theoretical problems, CAD drawing, and simulation, ChatPDF is particularly valuable for research, whereas Gemini and Claude demonstrate moderate effectiveness across multiple domains. PLS-SEM results confirm that enablers, challenges, and strategies influence faculty and student perceptions of GAI integration. Moreover, survey data underscores a preference for gradual GAI implementation, focusing on design, simulation, coding, and academic writing in prior to full-scale integration. Future research should expand the participant pool to include more ME faculty and students, explore advanced GAI versions, and examine direct integration of GAI tools within engineering software to enhance learning experiences.College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringMaster of Science in Engineering Systems Management (MSESM

A reduced model for phase-change problems with radiation using simplified PN approximations

Radiative heat transfer in phase-change media is of great interest in many thermal applications in sciences and engineering involving internal melting or solidification. In these problems at high temperature, a mathematical model used to describe the heat transfer and phase change should also include equations accounting for thermal radiation. Using the integro-differential equation for the radiative intensity in these models results in a system of coupled equations for which its numerical solution is computationally very demanding. In the present study, we develop a class of efficient reduced models for phase-change problems accounting for grey thermal radiation. The novelty in these models lies in the fact that effects of thermal radiation are well captured in phasechange materials without solving the computationally demanding radiative transfer equation. The model is derived from the enthalpy formulation and the simplified Pɴ approximations of spherical harmonics. The integro-differential equation for the full radiative transfer is replaced by a set of differential equations which are independent of the angle variable and easy to solve using conventional computational methods. To solve the coupled equations, we implement a second-order implicit scheme for the time integration and a mixed finite element method for the space discretization. A Newton-based algorithm is also adopted for solving the nonlinear systems resulting from the considered monolithic approach. The performance of the proposed reduced models is analyzed on several test examples for coupled radiative heat transfer and phase-change problems in two and three space dimensions. The results presented in this study demonstrate that the proposed models can accurately predict the temperature distributions and capture the phase-change interfaces in melting and solidification examples, all while maintaining a very low computational cost.Royal SocietyAmerican University of SHarja

Utilization of machine learning techniques for improving the diagnosis of thyroid disorders

A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation in Engineering Systems Management by Areej Hussein Mohammed Mohammed entitled, “Utilization of machine learning techniques for improving the diagnosis of thyroid disorders”, submitted in February 2025. Dissertation advisor is Dr. Hussam Alshraideh and dissertation co-advisor is Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh. Soft copy is available (Dissertation, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringPhD in Engineering - Engineering Systems Management (PhD-ESM

An Assessment Tool for Nature-inspired & Living Laboratory (NILL)™ Buildings

A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation in Engineering Systems Management by Mariam Ahmed Abdalla Yousif AlAli entitled, “An Assessment Tool for Nature-inspired & Living Laboratory (NILL)™ Buildings”, submitted in April 2025. Dissertation advisor is Dr. Serter Atabay and dissertation co-advisor is Dr. Salwa Beheiry. Soft copy is available (Dissertation, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Laboratory buildings are known for their specialized technical activities that require different building design elements. Moreover, traditional laboratory building design and construction often prioritizes functionality over occupant well-being or sustainability. As such, applying green building rating systems or nature-inspired design strategies in the context of laboratory buildings is yet to be thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, nature-inspired design principles and living laboratory concepts offer promising solutions to enhance the design and construction of nature-inspired living laboratory buildings. As such, this dissertation work filled this gap by providing a comprehensive Nature-inspired & Living Laboratory (NILL) building assessment system to evaluate laboratory buildings based on principles of nature-inspired design and living buildings to promote occupant well-being, sustainability, and work efficiency. The sub-objectives of this research focused on identifying the gap in current literature to introduce the “NILL” novel concept, followed by validating the NILL indicators, assigning weights through Fuzzy AHP analysis, developing the assessment tool and implementing it through a case study of a laboratory buildings. Hence, the research followed a mixed method approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis tools, such as literature review, expert interviews through Delphi Rounds, Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP), Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to develop and validate the assessment tool. Finally, a laboratory building was assessed using the NILL Building Tool and highlighted strong security and operational efficiency, but revealed critical gaps in indoor environmental quality, energy and water efficiency, and biophilic integration, emphasizing the need for further design and operational enhancement to comply with higher NILL Building levels. Accordingly, the outcome of this novel research provided an understanding of the current status of laboratories as nature-inspired & living buildings and offered an assessment tool for further application that can be applied within research, academic/teaching, and industry laboratory buildings.College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringPhD in Engineering - Engineering Systems Management (PhD-ESM

Introductory Painting - ART 241

Syllabus for the Department of Art and Design course "Introductory Painting - ART 241", by Instructor(s) Philip Sheil for the Summer 2025 semester.College of Architecture, Art and DesignDepartment of Art and Desig

Investigating Barriers And Drivers For NZEBS in the UAE: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

A Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Fahad Abdalla Mohammed entitled, “Investigating Barriers And Drivers For NZEBS in the UAE: A Mixed-Methods Analysis”, submitted in March 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Vian Ahmed. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringMaster of Science in Engineering Systems Management (MSESM

On some Quadratic Diophantine Equations And Semiperfect Numbers

A Master of Science in Mathematics by Imane Sahel entitled, “On some Quadratic Diophantine Equations and Semiperfect Numbers”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Abdel Rahman Yousef and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Issam Louhichi. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).This thesis investigates quadratic Diophantine equations of the form χ^α + y² = z² and explores properties of semiperfect and weird numbers. We derive explicit formulas for the number of integer solutions when χ^α is a perfect square and when it is not. Using these results, we make some observations about odd and even perfect numbers. The second part examines sum of divisor based number classifications; we study abundant, semiperfect and primitive weird numbers.College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Mathematics and StatisticsMaster of Science in Mathematics (MSMTH