USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS A STRATEGIC WEAPON: LESSONS FROM THE RED BARON

Organizations investing in information technology (IT) over the past decades have categorically seen the uses of IT change. At one point, IT was considered a key strategic tool to gain competitive advantage; however, today, acquiring basic IT functions is a necessity in order not to be at a competitive disadvantage. It takes advanced IT systems, coupled with good strategy to develop an IT competitive advantage. With good strategy and advanced IT systems, some organizations can use IT as a weapon to secure market share and/or eliminate the competition. We suggest in this article that there are strategic points of which organizations should be aware during the implementation and use of information technology. These lessons come from the strategic lesson plans of the ace aviation fighter pilot, the Red Baron.IT Strategy, Competitive advantage, Change, Aviation, Technology.

Associated Insects Reared from Galls of Saperda Inornata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Trembling Aspen in Michigan

The poplar gall Saperda, Saperda inornata Say, is a common pest of trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx, in Michigan forests. Through its egg-laying activities and larval feeding, this insect causes wood defects and tree mortality (Graham et al., 1963). While studying natural populations of this insect (Grimble and Knight, 1970), we collected many galls and found through rearing and dissection that they harbor a large and varied insect fauna

Impact of a Global Engineering Course on Student Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Communication

This paper explores the impact of a global engineering course on student development of cultural intelligence and cross-communication skills. Although traveling abroad can lead to these outcomes, engineering students face several barriers to traditional study abroad, including highly structured course sequences and financial challenges. Thus, there is a growing need to identify a variety of methods to help students develop these skills without leaving the country. The program that is the focus of this study combines a global engineering course with a short-term international module. This structure gives us the chance to compare student learning related to different components of the program. In this study we analyzed student results on the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) across three administrations (pre-course, post-course, and post-trip), revealing larger growth post-course than post-trip. We further studied student reflections at the end of the program to understand which experiences were most meaningful to them. A majority of students highlighted experiences where they needed to communicate with someone who did not speak English as a key learning opportunity. However, the depth of learning that students recognized from these experiences varied significantly. Together, these results suggest that students can develop cultural intelligence without traveling abroad, and that creating activities that mimic the cross-cultural communication situations students experience abroad may further assist in such development. Our findings have implications for the development of global engineering programs, including both support for the creation of entirely domestic programs as well as suggested program features to enhance student development of cultural intelligence

Electron-spin resonance studies of the titanium cation (Ti+,3d?, ?F) in rare gas matrices at 4 K: A crystal field interpretation

Journal ArticleElectron-spin resonance studies of laser-ablated titanium metal isolated in neon and argon display an intense feature which exhibits a symmetric, narrow line and a large matrix-dependent g shift. On the basis of a number of experiments, this is assigned to a matrix isolated 3d3,4F Ti+ ion in an octahedral matrix environment. Although the ground state of the gas-phase Ti1 ion is 3d24s1,4F, the assignment to the 3d3,4F state is supported by the small hyperfine structure which is observed. The neon magnetic parameters are: g=1.934(1) and A(47Ti)=64(1) MHz; for argon, g=1.972(1) and A=56(1) MHz. This unusual stabilization of an excited atomic state by a rare gas matrix is consistent with ab initio studies, and has been previously found for atomic nickel. A crystal-field study of the expected behavior of a d3,4F ion isolated in a tetrahedral, octahedral, or cuboctahedral environment supports the assignment to an octahedral Ti+(Rg)6 species, and using the atomic spin?orbit parameter, z permits accurate values of Dq to be derived from the measured g values. Finally, it is also noted that for small values of Dq/(Dq+5), or for a d3,4F ion in a tetrahedral environment, an as yet unobserved, unequal Zeeman splitting of the fourfold degeneracy occurs, causing a departure of the Zeeman energies from the standard formula of EZeeman=?eH0gM, with M=?3/2, ?1/2. For these situations it becomes necessary to define two values of g, corresponding to the more strongly ~g3/2! and less strongly ~g1/2! affected Zeeman levels, respectively

Laser vaporization generation of the SiB and SiAi radicals for matrix isolation electron spin resonance studies: comparison with theoretical calculations and assignment of their electronic ground states as X ??

Journal ArticleThe first experimental spectroscopic study of the SiB and SiAl diatomic radicals is reported. Electron spin resonance results indicate that both molecules have X 4? ground electronic states, in agreement with earlier theoretical calculations. The SIB and SiAl radicals were generated in neon matrices at 4 K by trapping the products produced from the pulsed laser vaporization of their alloys. Electronic structure information for these radicals is especially interesting given the utilization of silicon doped materials in semiconductor applications. The observedn uclear hyperfine interactions (A tensors) for 10B, 11B and 27A1l n these molecular radicals were compared with the results of ab initia configuration-interaction theoretical calculationswhich were conducted as part of this experimental study. The neon matrix magnetic parameters (MHz) for Si 11B are 0=800(2), gll =2.0014(8), g, =2.0005(4), A, =92.4(5), and A,, =111(2). For Si27A1 the results (MHz) are 0=9710(2), gll =1.9994(8), and gL = 1.9978(4), IAL [ =10.3(6), and [A,? [=43.5(g)

Laser vaporization generation of Y ??B+, Y ??B+, and YAI+ for electron spin resonance studies in neon matrices at 4 K: comparison with theoretical calculations

Journal ArticleThe first spectroscopic investigation of 89Y 10B+, 89Y 11B+, and 89Y 27Al+ is reported, revealing that both of these diatomic cation radicals have X 4?- electronic ground states. The ions were generated by three high energy techniques in combination with neon matrix isolation at 4 K and studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The generation methods included pulsed laser vaporization of the metal alloys, photoionization at 16.8 eV during matrix deposition, and x-irradiation at 80 keV of the matrix sample following deposition. Hyperfine interactions were resolved for all of the above nuclei and were compared with calculated isotropic and dipolar components of the A tensor. The yttrium 5s character observed in YAlf was significantly larger than that in YB+ based upon the observed nuclear hyperfine interactions. The calculated electronic structure properties showed agreement with this trend in the observed Aiso parameters. In addition, qualitative descriptions of the bonding properties are also presented which are consistent with the magnetic parameters obtained from the ESR measurements. The magnetic parameters for Y ?B+ in neon at 4 K are gl =1.959(1), A, (Y) =33.6(4) MHz, and AL (11B) =65.9(4) MHz. For YAl+, g, =1.942(1),A, =142(l) MHz, andA, (Al)=73(1) MHz

Electron spin resonance investigation of Sc?+ in neon matrices and assignment of its ground electronic state as X ???. comparison with theoretical calculations

Journal ArticleThe discandium radical cation, Sc+2 , has been isolated in neon matrices at 4 K and studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and theoretical methods. It was produced by the x-irradiation of neon matrix samples containing neutral ScZ which was formed by trapping the products generated from the pulsed laser vaporization of scandium metal. The experimental and theoretical findings indicate that Sc2+ has a 4?-g electronic ground state compared to an X5?-u; state for the neutral discandium radical. The large decrease in the 45Sch hyperfine interaction (A tensor) going from ScZ to SC? provides direct experimental information concerning the types of valence molecular orbitals that are involved in these diatomic radicals. The neon matrix magnetic parameters for 45Sc2+ are gll~ 2.00, gl =1.960(l), I+ ]=28(6), and IA, | =26.1(3) MHZ; the D value (zero field splitting) was 15 38 l(3) MHz. Ab initio configuration interaction (CI) calculations of the nuclear hyperfine interactions yielded results in reasonable agreement with the experimental observations

The impact of introduced round gobies (Neogobius me/anostomus) on phosphorus cycling in central Lake Erie

We used an individual-based bioenergetic model to simulate the phosphorus flux of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) population in central Lake Erie during 1995-2002. Estimates of round goby diet composition, growth rates, and population abundance were derived from field sampling. As an abundant introduced fish, we predicted that round gobies would influence phosphorus cycling both directly, through excretion, and indirectly, through consumption of dreissenid mussels, whose high mass-specific phosphorus excretion enhances recycling. In 1999, when age-1+ round gobies reached peak abundance near 350 million (2.4 kg.ha^-1), annual phosphorus excretion was estimated at 7 t (1.4 X 10^-3 mg P.m^-2·day^-l). From an ecosystem perspective, however, round gobies excreted only 0.4% of the phosphorus needed by the benthic community for primary production. Indirectly, round gobies consumed <0.2% of dreissenid population biomass, indicating that round gobies did not reduce nutrient availability by consuming dreissenids, Compared with previous studies that have revealed introduced species to influence phosphorus cycling, round gobies likely did not attain a sufficiently high biomass density to influence phosphorus cycling in Lake Erie.This research was funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory at Ohio State University

Assessing the impact of IRES on researchers, research outcomes, and students: A case study approach

IRES programs seek to develop globally connected future researchers while also facilitating broader long-term collaborations between U.S.-based and international research groups. Faculty and student exchanges are expected to result in international linkages between the researchers that bring new insights and methods to U.S.-based research projects, leading to transformative research. In this project, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of IRES programs through a case study analysis. The nine selected cases focused specifically on engineering-focused IRES experiences for ease of comparison. Case studies included interviews with all U.S. PI’s, a selection of additional international and U.S. faculty researchers, and select student alumni for a total of 59 interviews across the nine sites. Our analysis highlights the variety of approaches different IRES programs have taken, which we hope will be helpful for institutions proposing new IRES programs as well as for NSF program officers who work with IRES PI teams. We highlight best practices in developing research exchanges, the return on investment of such programs, as well as ideas from program leaders and participants in how to structure such experiences for students as well as faculty and institutions both on the U.S. and international sides to achieve a range of outcomes

Interdisciplinary Team Teaching: Lessons for Engineering Instructors from a Capstone Course in Environmental Studies

The capstone course teaches students to analyze global environmental issues, resources, and human activities with a systems approach based on scientific, economic, political, social and ethical perspectives. Such an intrinsically multifaceted subject demands interdisciplinary treatment. To deliver the interdisciplinary treatment, the course uses diverse faculty teams comprised of faculty from fields in the natural and social sciences, engineering, and business. This work describes the interdisciplinary team teaching strategies adopted for the course and how they evolved with subsequent offerings of the course. We present assessment data measuring how well students achieve course objectives. Finally, experience gleaned from this course for non-majors has produced ideas for lessons engineering instructors can apply to their own courses