Market Power of ERP Education - An Investigative Analysis

This study tracks the marketability of the graduates from the College of Business at California State University Chico (CSUC), a leader in ERP education in the U.S., and compares the salaries obtained by students who graduated with and without extensive ERP skills. Our findings indicate that students graduating with an extensive ERP background have consistently obtained higher salaries than students without this background. This effect was somewhat more pronounced before the bursting of the E-commerce bubble, but remained in effect after the bubble burst. A curious finding from this study is that, for students having extensive ERP skills and both before and after the bursting of the bubble, those with lower GPA\u27s actually received marginally higher salary offers than those with considerably better GPA\u27s. This was not the case for students without extensive ERP skills. Our conclusion is that at CSU Chico there is significant market power which accrues to students graduating with extensive ERP skills. Hence, from a student employment or market power perspective, the ERP curriculum has been a success

A characterization of the interfacial and interlaminar properties of carbon nanotube modified carbon fiber/epoxy composites

The mechanical characterization of the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon nanotube (CNT) coated carbon fibers and the interlaminar fracture toughness of woven fabric carbon fiber/epoxy composites toughened with CNT/epoxy interleave films is presented. The deposition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) onto the surface of carbon fibers through thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was used in an effort to produce a graded, multifunctional interphase region used to improve the interfacial strength between the matrix and the reinforcing fiber. Characterization of the IFSS was performed using the single-fiber fragmentation test. It is shown that the application of a MWCNT coating improves the interfacial shear strength between the coated fiber and matrix when compared with uncoated fibers. The effect of CNT/epoxy thin interleave films on the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of woven fabric carbon/epoxy composites is examined using the double-cantilever beam (DCB) test. Initiation fracture toughness, represented by critical strain energy release rate (GIC), is shown to improve over standard un-toughened composites using amine-functionalized CNT/epoxy thin films. Propagation fracture toughness is shown to remain unaffected using amine-functionalized CNT/epoxy thin films with respect to standard un-toughened composites

Incorporating Virtual Teamwork Training into MIS Curricula

Due to increasing industry demand for personnel who work effectively in virtual/distributed teams, MIS students should undergo training to improve their awareness of and competence in virtual teamwork. This paper proposes a model for virtual teamwork training and describes the implementation of the model in a class where students were located in two separate geographical locations. Both survey and qualitative data suggests that the class increased students\u27 awareness of and competence in virtual teamwork. Potential improvements to the course design are also discussed

Teaching with Enterprise Systems

With the wide-spread adoption of Enterprise Systems (ES), such as SAP, Oracle, and Peoplesoft, in medium and large-sized organizations, there is increasing demand for students who know how to work with such systems. While the demand for ES developers and integrators has declined, the demand for employees that can help companies achieve benefits from these systems continues to grow. Such employees need skills in decision-making and process design in an integrated, data-rich environment enabled by an ES. This paper provides advice about teaching with enterprise systems at the undergraduate and graduate levels within the IS curriculum and across management and engineering curricula. This advice is provided by five professors from five different schools, California State University at Chico, Louisiana State University, Queensland University of Technology, Bentley College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute that together have many years of experience in teaching with SAP or with the Oracle e-business suite. This paper includes a summary of the experiences at each of these schools, advice based on questions from the audience at an AMCIS 2005 panel, and references to resources that may be helpful to those considering, or already engaged in, teaching with enterprise systems

Incorporating Distributed Teamwork and Collaborative Technology into MIS Curriculum

Faced with increased use of distributed project teams in industry, MIS students need to be trained to improve their awareness of and competence in distributed teamwork. This paper describes a curriculum initiative to incorporate distributed teamwork and collaborative technologies into software development and implementation projects for MIS students. There were two stages in the study; the first stage investigated co-located teams that engaged in project subtasks in a distributed format. The second stage investigated real distributed teams that engaged in a fully distributed project. Our study indicates that students increased their capacity to work in a distributed situation by using collaboration technologies. As instructors, we also learned ways to design and more effectively teach this type of class

Archaeological Investigations Under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 4925 for the Texas Department of Transportation, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Harris Counties, Texas

In May 2008, PBSJ (now Atkins North America, Inc.), was contracted by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), to conduct archaeological impact evaluations and surveys for the Houston and Beaumont Districts under Contract 578-XX-SA004. This contract was for on-demand services, with specific work defined by individual work authorizations. However, all investigations were subsumed under a single Texas Antiquities Permit (No. 4925) for the contract, with Michael Nash serving as Principal Investigator during fieldwork. Four work authorizations were issued, but only three surveys were conducted due to a refusal of Right-of-Entry on one job. All fieldwork was conducted between October 2008 and April 2010. Projects were located in Fort Bend, Galveston, and Harris Counties. Following completion of the fieldwork and the majority of reporting, the permit was transferred to TxDOT, with James T. Abbott serving as Principal Investigator. Final preparation of this report was performed by Abbott, based upon a draft provided by Atkins. WA 1 authorized survey of a planned detention pond adjacent to Farm to Market Road (FM) 2978, between 0.065 and 0.145 south of Bogs Road in Harris County. An intensive survey of the 4.13-acre site was conducted on October 2, 2008 by Rebecca Sager and Ephriam McDowell. Four shovel tests were excavated during the survey, all of which were negative for cultural material. No cultural resources were encountered during the survey, and Atkins recommended that no further investigations were warranted and the project receive archaeological clearance. WA 2 authorized a survey prior to construction of beach stabilization structures along a 4.7- mile length of SH 87 in Galveston County. The archaeological project area designated in the scope of work consisted of 35 acres of existing right-of-way (ROW) within an overall 70.0 acres of existing ROW. A visual inspection of the project area and excavation of one shovel test was conducted on February 4 and 5, 2009, by Damon Burden and Joe Craig. No cultural resources encountered during the survey, the survey area was found to be heavily disturbed, and Atkins recommended that no further investigations were warranted. WA 3 was a proposed realignment of Conroe-Hufsmith Road at FM 2978 in Montgomery County. The project would have required 2.0 acres of new ROW, and the APE would have included the new ROW as well as any existing ROW along the project length. However, permission to conduct archaeological investigations was denied by the affected landowner, and the Work Authorization was cancelled. WA 4 was issued for an intensive survey in advance of improvements to FM 1464 at New Home Cemetery in Fort Bend County. An initial survey was conducted at the location, but due to a contractual dispute between Atkins and TxDOT regarding the scope of services, not all work associated with the project was completed by Atkins. This report describes the work that was completed under this permit

Compliance with COVID-19 measures: A comparative study of street-level managers in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Israel

Responsible for the direct-delivery of public services, street-level organizations (SLOs) serve as the operational arm of the state in general, and as the frontline of governmental efforts during times of crisis. Street-level managers (SLMs), who occupy the sole, top managerial tier in SLOs are under-studied not only during crises but also in routine, although exerting immediate significant influence on the daily life of local publics. To better understand on-the-ground policy efforts during the pandemic, this study focuses on SLMs’ compliance in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and Israel. Data comprises 399 “compliance stories” gathered from interviews with SLMs in nurseries, schools, health and welfare offices, police stations as well as care homes. Standardized coding of the stories identified different levels of (non)compliance as well as the prominent explanatory variables that shape (non)compliance. Three influences emerged as the main compliance barriers, that is, lack of resources, relationship with the local public, and perception of the measure's effectiveness. Emphasizing that SLMs often act as local policy entrepreneurs who use their discretion to solve problems and serve their local public, findings further demonstrate the key role of SLMs in shaping the face of government for the public

Immigration Enforcement and Fairness to Would-Be Immigrants

This chapter argues that governments have a duty to take reasonably effective and humane steps to minimize the occurrence of unauthorized migration and stay. While the effects of unauthorized migration on a country’s citizens and institutions have been vigorously debated, the literature has largely ignored duties of fairness to would-be immigrants. It is argued here that failing to take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized migration and stay is deeply unfair to would-be immigrants who are not in a position to bypass visa regulations. Importantly, the argument here is orthogonal to the debate as to how much and what kinds of immigration ought to be allowed