Perceptions Measurement of Professional Certifications to Augment Buffalo State College Baccalaureate Technology Programs, as a Representative American Postsecondary Educational Institution

The purpose of this study was to assess, measure, and analyze whether voluntary, nationally-recognized professional certification credentials were important to augment technology programs at Buffalo State College (BSC), as a representative postsecondary baccalaureate degree-granting institution offering technology curricula. Six BSC undergraduate technology programs were evaluated within the scope of this study: 1.) Computer Information Systems; 2.) Electrical Engineering, Electronics; 3.) Electrical Engineering, Smart Grid; 4.) Industrial Technology; 5.) Mechanical Engineering; and 6.) Technology Education. This study considered the following three aspects of the problem: a.) postsecondary technology program enrollment and graduation trends; b.) the value/awareness of professional certifications to employers and students; and c.) professional certification relevancy and postsecondary curricula integration. The study was conducted through surveys and interviews with four technology-related purposive sample groups: 1.) BSC program alumni; 2.) BSC and non-BSC technology program faculty; 3.) hiring managers/industry leaders; and 4.) non-BSC alumni and certification holders. In addition, this study included an analysis of relevant professional certification organizations and student enrollment data from the six technology programs within scope. Research methods included both quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques. This study concluded undergraduate technology students benefitted from a greater awareness of relevant professional certifications and their perceived value. This study also found the academic community may be well served to acknowledge the increasing trend of professional certification integration into postsecondary technology programs

Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 4: Learning, Technology, Thinking

In September 2019 Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University was honoured to host the bi-annual conference of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) under the unifying theme of DESIGN REVOLUTIONS. This was the first time the conference had been held in the UK. Through key research themes across nine conference tracks – Change, Learning, Living, Making, People, Technology, Thinking, Value and Voices – the conference opened up compelling, meaningful and radical dialogue of the role of design in addressing societal and organisational challenges. This Volume 4 includes papers from Learning, Technology and Thinking tracks of the conference

The drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility in the supply chain. A case study.

Purpose: The paper studies the way in which a SME integrates CSR into its corporate strategy, the practices it puts in place and how its CSR strategies reflect on its suppliers and customers relations. Methodology/Research limitations: A qualitative case study methodology is used. The use of a single case study limits the generalizing capacity of these findings. Findings: The entrepreneur’s ethical beliefs and value system play a fundamental role in shaping sustainable corporate strategy. Furthermore, the type of competitive strategy selected based on innovation, quality and responsibility clearly emerges both in terms of well defined management procedures and supply chain relations as a whole aimed at involving partners in the process of sustainable innovation. Originality/value: The paper presents a SME that has devised an original innovative business model. The study pivots on the issues of innovation and eco-sustainability in a context of drivers for CRS and business ethics. These values are considered fundamental at International level; the United Nations has declared 2011 the “International Year of Forestry”

NASA Tech Briefs, Winter 1985

Topics covered include: NASA TU Services; New Product Ideas; Electronic Components and Circuits;Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Life Sciences; Mechanics; Machinery; Fabrication Technology; Mathematics and Information Sciences

Home-Based Work and Home-Based Workers (1800-2021)

Home-Based Work and Home-Based Workers (1800-2021) is about the past and present of home-based work and homebased workers between 1800 and 2021 from a global perspective.; Readership: All interested in social and economic history, and especially in the past and present of home-based work and homebased workers

Developing a service for the personalisation of running shoes

The aim of this research was to specify and develop a service that is capable of delivering personalisable running shoes with mass appeal. Current sports footwear personalisation services focus primarily on aesthetic design via the internet. Aesthetics do not appear to be the consumers primary interest when purchasing running shoes and a large number are also reluctant to purchase online; preferring to purchase from specialist running stores where they receive the advice needed and can directly interact with the product. After reviewing the literature, it was hypothesised that the implementation of a primarily comfort and performance running shoe personalisation service with an in store fitting element, utilising additive manufacturing as an enabling technology, would give the greatest opportunity for success. Survey methods and store visits were employed that targeted both qualitative and quantitative data, exploring consumer running shoe purchase preferences, running shoe use and opinions of current personalisation services. The findings from these studies supported the previously stated hypothesis and enabled the specification of a suitable service. Subsequently, the focus of this research was the development of a toolkit, a computer-based system that enables the consumer to make their selections, the core of most of the current services. Experts in biomechanics and additive manufacturing were consulted to ensure that a feasible yet innovative solution was delivered. The resultant toolkit prototype (www.yourstep.co.uk) was tested formatively, using multiple methods and summatively with a large sample. Using the toolkit was considered an enjoyable, intuitive experience; a large percentage (69%) of summative testing participants would consider purchasing personalised running shoes using this method. The approach adopted to specify and develop this service provides a framework, based upon empirical research, for those looking to implement a practical running shoe personalisation service that meets their consumers requirements

Home-Based Work and Home-Based Workers (1800-2021)

Home-Based Work and Home-Based Workers (1800-2021) is about the past and present of home-based work and homebased workers between 1800 and 2021 from a global perspective.; Readership: All interested in social and economic history, and especially in the past and present of home-based work and homebased workers

Tourism and industrial heritage: between local authenticity and community appropriation - The case of S. João da Madeira, Portugal

This doctoral research, within the framework of cultural tourism, focuses on the industrial heritage in the context of an industrialized territory and explores the perceptions of both the local community and the stakeholders that are involved in the planning and implementation of tourism programs. The main goal of this study is to highlight the importance of industrial heritage for tourism, so it analyzes this resource for tourism usage considering the perceptions of authenticity by the local community, particularly the historical and current endogenous resources associated with the industry. To this end, aiming a richer understanding of the research context, a case study approach was used in the municipality of São João da Madeira, northern Portugal, a pioneer destination in the implementation of industrial tourism circuits in national territory, focusing these circuits on heritage, active industry and technology centres. The present research aims to fill the gap of empirical research in cultural and heritage tourism context, specifically industrial heritage tourism, and concerning the community perceptions about their own resource’s authenticity, namely: heritage values, place identity and future behavioural intentions, using both a qualitative and quantitative approaches. The intention is also to explore and understand the key concept of the contribution of industrial tourism circuits to the development and competitiveness of an industrial territory according the stakeholders’ perspective. With this purpose, the main objectives were defined to understand the contribution of industrial tourism circuits to the development and competitiveness of an industrial territory, and to analyse the relationship between industrial heritage values and place identity as antecedents of authenticity perceived by the local community, resulting in community participation ideals and support for tourism development in São João da Madeira. These two objectives have originated four specific goals: 1) to understand the contribution and the role of industrial tourism circuits to the enhancement, value creation, differentiation and development of an industrial territory; 2) to identify the identity elements (tangible and intangible) associated with industry and industrial heritage, those capable of promoting a holistic tourism experience and potentially implemented by the destination; 3) to analyse the role of heritage values and place identity in the authenticity perceived by the local community; and 4) to analyse the importance of authenticity perceived by the local community towards their participation ideals and their support for tourism development. In order to meet these objectives, a mixed methodology was adopted with quantitative and qualitative data collection, these data being analysed, integrated, compared and discussed. This allowed taking advantages of the complementary of using both methodologies, thus improving the validity of the results and successfully addresses the central research questions. For this purpose, in the qualitative methodology, in-depth interviews were applied with 10 direct stakeholders in industrial tourism circuits. As quantitative methodology, online and face-to-face questionnaires were applied to a sample of 389 individuals permanently living in the municipality of São João da Madeira. To answer the first specific objective, it was performed an interpretative analysis based on the interviews transcripts using the Webqda software. The other three specific objectives were also addressed through a quantitative analysis. A conceptual model was tested through the structural equation technique using SPSS Statistics and AMOS. From the interviews analysis it was concluded that the industrial tourism circuits stakeholders try to bring local community and the industrial tourism programmes closer, allowing the resident to participate in tourism activities whenever, due to the activity specificities, it is feasible. However, it was found that the local community has no active voice in the planning and structuring of the programmes, being called only as a consultant of the process. It should also be noted that, in the context of community interpretation, mainly in places of industrial heritage and industry open to visitors, authenticity is an essential element to be considered. It was identified that the residents understand the transformations in their heritage and are interested in preserving both its tangible and intangible elements. It was also found that a diversified tourism offer, based on differentiated industrial resources, promotes local culture and traditions, creates value for the territory, improves the image and encourages the destination sustainability while fostering, albeit indirectly, territorial development. The analysis of the results obtained, established from the eight hypotheses formulated, lead to the conclusion that heritage values and place identity, based on endogenous industrial resources, influence the residents' understanding of their territory as a tourist destination, namely when objective and existential authenticity are considered. Similarly, the results of perceived objective and perceived existential authenticity are positively and significantly correlated with community participation ideals. Also, the perceived objective authenticity proved to have a positive impact on the perception of tourism development, whereas perceived existential authenticity in tourism development perception of proved to be negative and therefore not statistically significant. Based on the results obtained through multiple methods, this research concludes that local people have the capacity, through identity assumption, to confer authenticity to endogenous resources of their territory and can play a crucial role in the decision-making process towards a sustainable tourism development. It is expected that the results of this study contribute to a better understanding of industrial tourism in Portugal with useful practical and theoretical suggestions. The discussion section highlights that the results that contribute theoretically to the deepening of the authenticity concept from the resident's perspective while, in practice, they enable planning and development strategies in industrial tourism destinations, which may, at the same time, be applicable to other community-based cultural contexts.Esta investigación doctoral dentro de la temática del turismo cultural, se centra en el patrimonio industrial en el contexto de un territorio industrializado, y explora las percepciones tanto de la comunidad local como de los agentes implicados en la planificación y ejecución de los programas turísticos. El objetivo principal de este estudio es destacar la importancia del patrimonio industrial para el turismo, por lo que se analiza este recurso para el uso turístico teniendo en cuenta las percepciones de autenticidad por parte de la comunidad local, en particular los recursos endógenos históricos y actuales asociados a la industria. Para ello, con el objetivo de comprender mejor el contexto de la investigación, se utilizó un estudio de caso en el municipio de São João da Madeira, al norte de Portugal, pionero en la implantación de circuitos de turismo industrial en el territorio nacional, sustentados en el patrimonio, la industria activa y los centros tecnológicos. La presente investigación pretende suplir la falta de investigación empírica en el contexto del turismo cultural y patrimonial, más concretamente del turismo de patrimonio industrial, en particular en lo que respecta a las percepciones de una comunidad sobre la autenticidad de sus recursos, a saber: los valores patrimoniales, la identidad del lugar y las futuras intenciones de comportamiento desde un enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo. También se pretende explorar y comprender un concepto clave que es la contribución de los circuitos de turismo industrial al desarrollo y a la competitividad de un territorio industrial desde la perspectiva de las partes interesadas. Con este fin, se definieron en cuanto a objetivos generales comprender la contribución de los circuitos de turismo industrial al desarrollo y la competitividad de un territorio industrial, y analizar la relación de los valores del patrimonio industrial y de la identidad del lugar como antecedentes de la autenticidad percibida por la comunidad local, teniendo como consecuencia los ideales comunitarios de participación y apoyo al desarrollo del turismo en São João da Madeira. Estos dos objetivos dieron lugar a cuatro objetivos específicos, en particular: 1) comprender la contribución y el papel de los circuitos de turismo industrial en la valorización, la creación de valor, la diferenciación y en el desarrollo de un territorio industrial; 2) identificar los elementos de identidad (tangibles e intangibles) asociados al patrimonio industrial y a la industria, capaces de promover una experiencia turística holística y potencialmente implementada por el destino; 3) analizar el papel del valor patrimonial y de la identidad del lugar en la autenticidad percibida por la comunidad local; 4) analizar la importancia de la autenticidad percibida por la comunidad local en sus ideales comunitarios de participación y en su apoyo al desarrollo turístico. Para cumplir estos objetivos, se adoptó una metodología mixta con la recogida de datos cuantitativos y cualitativos, los datos fueron analizados, integrados, comparados y discutidos. Esto permitió aprovechar la complementariedad del uso de ambas metodologías, mejorando así la validez de los resultados y expone con éxito las preguntas centrales de la investigación. Para ello, en la metodología cualitativa, se aplicaron entrevistas en profundidad a 10 agentes directos de los circuitos de turismo industrial. Como metodología cuantitativa, se aplicaron cuestionarios online y presenciales a una muestra de 389 individuos que residen permanentemente en el municipio de São João da Madeira. Para responder al primer objetivo específico, se realizó realizamos un análisis interpretativo basado en los discursos transcritos de las entrevistas utilizando el programa informático Webqda. También se respondió a los demás tres objetivos específicos mediante un análisis cuantitativo. El modelo conceptual se probó mediante la técnica de ecuaciones estructurales utilizando SPSS Statistics y AMOS. Del análisis de las entrevistas se concluyó que los actores de los circuitos de turismo industrial promueven, en general, un acercamiento entre la comunidad local y los programas de turismo industrial, permitiendo que el residente participe en las actividades turísticas siempre que, por las características de la actividad, sea factible. Sin embargo, se comprobó que la comunidad local no tiene una voz activa en la planificación y estructuración de los programas, siendo llamada sólo como consultora del proceso. También hay que señalar que, en el contexto de la interpretación comunitaria, concretamente en los lugares del patrimonio industrial y de la industria abierta a los visitantes, la autenticidad es un elemento clave que hay que tener en cuenta. Se ha comprobado que los residentes comprenden las transformaciones de su patrimonio y están en preservar tanto el patrimonio material como el inmaterial. Se comprobó que una oferta turística diversificada y basada en recursos industriales diferenciados impulsa la cultura y las tradiciones locales, crea valor para el territorio, mejora la imagen y promueve la sostenibilidad del destino, mientras fomenta, aunque sea indirectamente, el desarrollo territorial. El análisis de los resultados obtenidos, sobre las ocho hipótesis formuladas, permite concluir que los valores patrimoniales y la identidad del lugar, basados en los recursos industriales endógenos, influyen en la percepción que los residentes se forman de su territorio como destino turístico, concretamente cuando se considera la autenticidad objetiva y existencial. De igual modo, los resultados de la percepción de la autenticidad objetiva y existencial están correlacionados positiva y significativamente con los ideales comunitarios de participación. Asimismo, la percepción de la autenticidad objetiva también resultó tener un impacto positivo en la percepción del desarrollo turístico, mientras que la autenticidad existencial en la percepción del desarrollo turístico resultó ser negativa y, por lo tanto, no significativa estadísticamente. Con los resultados obtenidos mediante múltiples métodos, esta investigación concluye que la población local tiene el poder, a través de la asunción de la identidad, de conferir autenticidad a los recursos endógenos de su territorio y puede desempeñar un papel crucial en el proceso de toma de decisiones hacia un desarrollo turístico sostenible. Se espera que los resultados de este estudio contribuyan a una mejor comprensión del turismo industrial en Portugal con sugerencias prácticas y teóricas útiles. El tópico de la discusión destaca resultados que contribuyen teóricamente a la profundización del concepto de autenticidad desde la perspectiva del residente, así como también, en la práctica, posibilitan estrategias de planificación y desarrollo en destinos turísticos industriales, que pueden ser, en paralelo, aplicables a otros contextos culturales de base comunitaria.A presente investigação de doutoramento, inserida na temática do turismo cultural, versa o património industrial em contexto de um território industrializado e explora as perceções, quer da comunidade local, quer dos stakeholders envolvidos no planeamento e execução dos programas turísticos. O principal objetivo deste estudo consiste em evidenciar a importância do património industrial para o turismo, pelo que se analisa esse recurso para usufruto turístico perspetivando as perceções de autenticidade por parte da comunidade local, em particular dos recursos endógenos históricos e atuais associados à indústria. Para tal, objetivando uma compreensão mais rica do contexto da investigação, empregou-se uma abordagem de estudo de caso no município de São João da Madeira, norte de Portugal, local pioneiro na implementação de circuitos de turismo industrial em território nacional, circuitos sustentados no património, na indústria ativa e nos centros tecnológicos. A presente investigação pretende colmatar a carência de investigação empírica em contexto de turismo cultural e patrimonial, mais especificamente na área do turismo de património industrial, em particular no que se refere às perceções de uma comunidade sobre autenticidade dos seus recursos, nomeadamente: os valores patrimoniais, a identidade do lugar e as intenções futuras de comportamento a partir de uma abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Também é intenção explorar e compreender um conceito-chave que é o contributo dos circuitos de turismo industrial para o desenvolvimento e competitividade de um território industrial, tendo por base a perspetiva dos stakeholders. Com essa finalidade, definiram-se como objetivos gerais compreender o contributo dos circuitos de turismo industrial para o desenvolvimento e competitividade de um território industrial, e analisar a relação dos valores patrimoniais industriais e da identidade do lugar como antecedentes da autenticidade percebida pela comunidade local, tendo como consequência os ideais comunitários de participação e o apoio ao 9 desenvolvimento turístico em São João da Madeira. Estes dois objetivos originaram em quatro objetivos específicos, nomeadamente: 1) compreender o contributo e o papel dos circuitos de turismo industrial para a valorização, criação de valor, diferenciação e desenvolvimento de um território industrial; 2) Identificar os elementos da identidade (materiais e imateriais) associados ao património industrial e à indústria, capazes de promover uma experiência turística holística e potencialmente implementada pelo destino; 3) analisar o papel do valor patrimonial e da identidade do lugar na autenticidade percebida pela comunidade local; e, 4) Analisar a importância da autenticidade percebida pela comunidade local nos seus ideais comunitários de participação e no seu apoio ao desenvolvimento turístico. Para cumprir com os objetivos adotou-se uma metodologia mista com recolha de dados quantitativos e qualitativos, estes analisados, integrados, comparados e discutidos. Isto permitiu retirar proveito da complementaridade de recorrer a ambas metodologias, e como tal melhorando a validade dos resultados e expondo com sucesso as questões centrais da investigação. Para o efeito, aplicaram-se, na metodologia qualitativa, entrevistas em profundidade junto de 10 intervenientes diretos nos circuitos de turismo industrial. Como metodologia quantitativa foram aplicados questionário online e de forma presencial a uma amostra de 389 indivíduos residentes permanentes no município de São João da Madeira. Para dar resposta ao primeiro objetivo específico, efetuou-se uma análise interpretativa com base nos discursos transcritos das entrevistas recorrendo ao software Webqda. Os restantes três objetivos específicos foram, ainda, respondidos com a análise quantitativa. O modelo concetual sido testado por meio da técnica de equações estruturais com recurso ao SPSS Statistics e ao AMOS. Da análise das entrevistas, conclui-se que os stakeholders dos circuitos de turismo industrial promovem, na generalidade, uma aproximação entre a comunidade local e os programas de turismo industrial, possibilitando ao residente a participação em atividades turísticas sempre que, pelas especificidades próprias da atividade, seja viável. Contudo, aferiu-se que a comunidade local não tem voz ativa no planeamento e na estruturação dos programas, sendo apenas chamada para o processo enquanto consultora. De referir ainda que, no contexto de interpretação comunitária, especificamente em lugares de património industrial e de indústria aberta a visitantes, a autenticidade é um elemento essencial a considerar, tendo sido identificado que os residentes percebem as transformações no seu património, quer tangível, quer intangível, enquanto relevante para a sua preservação. 10 Verificou-se que uma oferta turística diversificada, assente em recursos industriais diferenciados, promove a cultura e as tradições locais, cria valor para o território, melhora a imagem e promove a sustentabilidade do destino, ao mesmo tempo que fomenta, ainda que por via indireta, o desenvolvimento territorial. A análise dos resultados obtidos, partindo de oito hipóteses formuladas, permitem concluir que os valores patrimoniais e a identidade do lugar, fundamentados nos recursos industriais endógenos, influenciam a perceção que os residentes formam do seu território enquanto destino turístico, nomeadamente quando consideradas a autenticidade objetiva e a existencial. À semelhança, os resultados da perceção da autenticidade objetiva e existencial estão positiva e significativamente correlacionados com os ideais comunitários de participação. De igual forma, a perceção da autenticidade objetiva revelou ainda ter impacto positivo na perceção do desenvolvimento turístico, já a autenticidade existencial na perceção do desenvolvimento turístico revelou ser negativo, pelo que não significativo estatisticamente. Com base nos resultados obtidos através de múltiplos métodos, esta investigação conclui que a população local tem poder, por meio da assunção identitária, para conferir autenticidade aos recursos endógenos do seu território e pode desempenhar um papel crucial no processo de tomada de decisão com vista a um desenvolvimento turístico sustentável. Espera-se que os resultados deste estudo contribuam para um melhor entendimento do turismo industrial em Portugal com sugestões práticas e teóricas úteis. O capítulo da discussão evidencia resultados que contribuem teoricamente para o aprofundamento do conceito de autenticidade na ótica do residente, ao mesmo tempo que, na prática, possibilitam estratégias de planeamento e desenvolvimento em destinos de turismo industrial, que poderão em paralelo ser aplicáveis a outros contextos culturais de base comunitária

Computerized Manufacturing Automation: Employment, Education, and the Workplace

An assessment by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) that looks "not only at robots but also at related computer-based technologies for design, production, and management" and "the technologies of programmable automation, their uses, and future capabilities" (p. iii)