Supply Chain Management and the Changing Structure of U.S. Organic Produce

Replaced with revised version of paper 08/31/06.supply chain, produce, organic, vertical coordination, Agribusiness,

Sourcing and Promotion of Local Foods by Food Cooperatives in the U.S.

This study examines the role that food consumer cooperatives play in the local food networks. Data are collected from three case studies with leading food cooperatives and a national survey of the general managers of food cooperatives. We identify the emerging business practices in local sourcing as a differentiation and member recruitment strategy for food cooperatives. Our analysis identifies several clusters of strategies used for local food procurement, based on the extent to which the co-op is involved in procurement activities upstream (at the farm), mid-stream (at the distribution center) or downstream (at the food cooperative). The results also show that when compared to other grocers, food co-ops have clear advantages in working with local producers and oftentimes play a key role in the producers’ business viability.food consumer cooperatives, local foods, Agribusiness, Marketing, Q13,

APPLE INDUSTRY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INTEGRATION WITH UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

Agribusiness,

Local Food Procurement and Promotion Strategies of Food Cooperatives

Replaced with revised version of paper 11/3/11.food consumer cooperatives, local foods, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Marketing, Q13,

The effect of faculty performance measurement systems on student retention

Institutions of higher learning have been tracking student course-drop rates as a measure of student success along with faculty performance data. However, there is a lack of understanding as to how faculty performance data influences drop rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether faculty knowledge of performance data creates a difference in drop rates. This study combined theories of performance measurement, decision support, self-determination theory (SDT), and personal decision making (PDM) as a conceptual foundation that linked faculty knowledge to student success. The specific research question addressed if data can be used to assist faculty efforts in reducing student attrition. This experimental longitudinal study tested the effect of faculty knowledge of personal performance measures on student course-drop rates. A sample of 32 subjects from a major university were randomly selected and assigned to equivalent-groups that included an experimental group, which received performance feedback and instruction, and an uninformed control group. Paired sample t-tests indicated a significant 32.8% reduction in student attrition for faculty in the experimental group, compared to a 10.3% increase in attrition observed for the control group faculty. Results suggest that providing faculty access to performance data via a decision support system will result in a reduction of student course drop rates. The key social value for this study is to provide a blueprint in collecting, structuring, and disseminating data that assist faculty and institutions in addressing student persistence. Students who persist in their courses have a greater potential of completing their studies and thus gaining access to better paying careers, higher levels of self-esteem, and an overall improved quality of life

Elucidating the degree of selectivity for NLO surrogate attachment to model compounds and a co-polyimide using the Mitsunobu reaction

The goals of this research are: to elucidate the degree of selectivity shown using the Mitsunobu reaction for pendent attachment to phenol and carboxylic acid functional groups, and to make progress towards the synthesis of a novel, UV-Crosslinkable, Mellitic Acid Dianhydride (MADA)-containing, low color, nonlinear optical (NLO) pendent co-polyimide (co-PI). Two of the three co-PI components lower the hydrophilicity and color of the product polymer by incorporating C-F bonds between their aromatic rings: the diamine, 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (Bis-AP-AF), and the dianhydride, 4,4’-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA). MADA was synthesized using a previously established procedure, and its purity was verified by a 5.9% weight loss seen with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A novel organic compound containing MADA, N,N’-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3,5,6-hexacarboxylic acid diimide [(2-AP)2MADA diimide], was synthesized to aid in selectivity determination. Two model compound systems are presented in order to elucidate the degree of functional group selectivity. Using 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, a stoichiometric amount of a pendant was attached exclusively at a carboxylic acid in the presence of two phenol functional groups under ambient conditions in freshly dried NMP. This conclusion was supported by the disappearance of the broad carboxylic acid proton signal, complete retention of both phenol proton signals, and the appearance of pendent group peaks in the 1H NMR, and the appearance of a new spot in the thin layer chromatogram (TLC). Subsequent one-pot pendent attachment at the phenol groups was then shown, although an excess of fresh Mitsunobu reagents were required to achieve a modest yield. The (2-AP)2MADA diimide model compound was then synthesized in freshly dried NMP using a one-pot approach without the presence of a catalyst. Structural verification was provided by 1H NMR, FTIR, and MS. Based on the presence of the carboxylic acid protons at ~ 8.20 ppm in the 1H NMR and the presence of a weak, broad stretch at 3060 cm-1 xvi in the FTIR, the presence of a strongly H-bonded or zwitterionic structure was indicated. Exclusive pendent attachment at the phenol groups of (2-AP)2 MADA Diimide using a stoichiometric amount of Mitsunobu regents was verified by the disappearance of the phenol proton peak at ~10.0 ppm in the 1H NMR and 3323 and 1095 cm-1 peaks in the FTIR, and the concurrent appearance of several peaks corresponding to ether linkages at 1244 and 1118 cm-1 in the FTIR. One-pot attachment of a second pendant at the unreacted functional group was then shown. A large excess of Mitsunobu reagents was required however to achieve a modest yield. Finally, the co-PI[Bis-AP-AF/6FDA)0.9(Bis-AP-AF/MADA)0.1]n was synthesized using a one step imidization approach in freshly dried NMP. A high degree of imidization was achieved, demonstrated by the weak peak at 1653 cm-1 in the FTIR. Structural confirmation was provided by 1-D 1H and 2-D COSY NMR and FTIR. TGA of the product polyimide showed initial major decomposition at 396 °C. Pendent attachment was carried out in a similar fashion to that used for (2-AP)2MADA diimide, and most likely takes place exclusively at the phenol groups on either mer, as indicated by a peak at 1139 cm-1 corresponding to ether linkages in the FTIR. Additional structural confirmation was provided by 1H NMR and FTIR. A subsequent one-pot pendent attachment at the unreacted functional groups was also shown to be possible by 1H NMR and FTIR. Only a modest yield was obtained however due to the use of a stoichiometric amount of Mitsunobu reagents

High Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition: A Novel Approach for the Growth of InN

The development of next generation devices for high speed switching, high efficiency energy conversion, spintronic devices require the development of advanced material systems. While conventional group IV, group II-VI and group III-V based materials systems have served as a base material in many modern device structures, they posses fundamental materials properties that limit their suitability in next generation device structures. The group III-N material system is very promising for the development of advanced device structures. GaN is currently widely used in high efficiency lighting applications. However, the development of this material system has been limited to material systems with limited indium. The growth of high indium concentration materials such as InN and GaxIn1-xN has proven difficulty due to the high thermal decomposition pressure of InN. In response to this difficulty, a high pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor system has been developed for the growth of InN which enables elevated processing temperatures as compared to conventional low-pressure growth techniques. The design criteria and implementation of this unique design is presented here. In addition, the results of in-situ real time optical characterization capabilities of this reactor system are presented as applied to thermal characterization, flow dynamics, gas phase kinetics and surface reactions. Ex-situ InN thin films grown on sapphire substrates and GaN epilayers have been analyzed by x-ray diffraction, transmission spectroscopy and raman spectroscopy. These results indicated single crystal indium nitride films with an optical absorption edge which varies between 0.7 and 1.9 eV as a function of precursor flow stoichiometry