Development of a goal management system

This thesis describes the development of the Goal Management System (GMS), a computer program designed to support goal­setting, planning and performance monitoring. The particular implementation described here is intended primarily for use in an organisational context. Chapter 2 discusses the treatment of goals as a topic in Artificial Intelligence, Psychology and Management Science. A broadly "knowledge-based" account of goal-related processes is derived from this discussion. Chapter 3 assesses the impact of the "symbols vs. neurons" debate upon the viability of a purely knowledge-based model. It is concluded that knowledge-based paradigms are useful for the description of knowledge structures, but that there are good reasons for assuming that they cannot provide an adequate account of the dynamics of knowledge (that is, the processes by which one structure is transformed into another). Therefore, it is appropriate that a systems designer should solve the problems of modelling structures before tackling the (perhaps insurmountable) problems of modelling dynamics. Chapter A considers the implications of "strategic" vs. "value-driven" models of planning. It is concluded that "value-driven" processing is the norm, while "strategic" processing is the exception, but is more likely to provide an appropriate response to radical changes in the planner's environment. A Goal Management System would support the increasing requirement for a strategic approach. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 describe the detailed design and implementation of the system. Chapter 8 describes a few of the practical applications of the system, and discusses ways in which the design could be improved. It is concluded that the basic design concept is correct, and that there is a useful role for this type of system. Chapter 9 evaluates the project as a whole and suggests directions for future research

Intergenerational Rights?

Past injustices demand a response if they have led to present deprivation. But skeptica arthe that there is no need to introduce a self-contained concept of 'historical justice' as our general concepts of justice provide all the necessary resources to deal with present inequalities. A rights-based approach to intergenerational issues has some advantages when compared to rival approaches: those based on intergenerational community, for example, or on obligations deriving from traditional continuity. While it is possible to ascribe rights to beings who are not presently in existence, the case for ascribing rights to future generations is much stronger than for past generations

Successorship and Collective Bargaining Agreements in Business Combinations and Acquisitions

Mergers, consolidations, and purchases of assets are important and frequent business transactions in our economy\u27 and involve a great deal of planning and negotiating by the enterprises concerned. Until recently,the rights of employees and their representative labor unions generally were not considered to be a factor in these plans. In 1964, however, the Supreme Court, in John Wiley & Sons, Inc. v. Livingston, held that common law privity-of-contract principles, which lower courts traditionally had invoked to preclude survival of employees\u27 rights, did not necessarily apply to collective bargaining agreements. Wiley was a nonunion corporation that had merged with a smaller unionized firm whose collective bargaining agreement contained a broad arbitration clause. The Court required Wiley to arbitrate the extent to which the agreement governed its responsibilities to the smaller company\u27s employees whom Wiley had hired. This decision was soon extended by lower federal courts to situations involving purchases of assets. The effect of Wiley and subsequent related cases has been to make the obligations of employers vis-a-vis their employees a significant consideration in planning business combinations and purchases. This article will examine the uncertain status of a new employer\u27s obligation to his employees after a change in business ownership and will analyze the impact that recent decisions will have on these important transactions

SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS: CHARACTERIZING THEIR USE AND CESSATION

Since their introduction to the United States in 2008, synthetic cannabinoids became the most widely used recreational drug behind marijuana, then regressed to an estimated prevalence of less than 1%. Contrary to expectations for a drug declining in use, emergency department presentations and acute poisonings related to the use of synthetic cannabinoids are increasing. Alongside this phenomenon, a growing body of literature is beginning to uncover a relationship between psychosis and synthetic cannabinoid use. A current gap in the literature exists surrounding harm prevention methods and targeted intervention strategies for users of synthetic cannabinoids. To date, no known studies have examined individuals with a history of use of these substances and investigated the reasons they decided to discontinue recreational use. The purpose of the current study was to fill this gap in the literature while also further confirming and expanding existing research on the characterization of synthetic substance use, perceived harm of synthetic cannabinoids, and users’ knowledge about synthetic cannabinoids. Cross sectional survey methods in a non-experimental comparative design was utilized with participants recruited through the online crowd sourcing platform Amazon MTurk. Significant motivating factors for both discontinuation and continuation of synthetic cannabinoid use were found including personal experience, accessibility, preference towards other substance, and questions surrounding the source and purity of the synthetic cannabinoids. It was also found that individuals who currently use synthetic cannabinoids have less general knowledge about the substance class when compared to individuals who have discontinued use. These results suggest that psychoeducational campaigning surrounding general knowledge about the substance class as well as information on the physiological effects of synthetic cannabinoids may be an effective harm reduction method

Comparison of Programed-Text Instruction With the Methods of Tutoring and Classroom Lecturing at Three Levels of Learning Ability

This study made comparisons of the methods of programed-text instruction, tutoring and lecturing in the classroom. A three by three factorial arrangement of treatments was used as an experimental design. One factor was the three methods of instruction, while the other factor consisted of three levels of learning ability. The three levels of learning ability were determined by the ACT scores of all S’s participating in the study. The results demonstrated that the method of tutoring was significantly better than the methods of programmed-text instruction and lecturing. There was no significant difference between the methods of programmed-text instruction and lecturing. The levels of learning ability were significantly linear in accordance with the three methods of instruction. No significant interaction between the methods of instruction and levels of learning ability was manifest. In the discussion, the possibilities of a biased criterion and uncontrolled motivational factors were discussed

AN ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF LOW INVESTMENT SWINE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

This publication summarizes an evaluation of smaller and lower investment swine production systems. The systems analyzed range from pasture operations with production during the warmer months to rather intense year-round use of remodeled buildings. In each case the system emphasizes use of facilities that can be constructed and remodeled by the farm operator. The report includes one section for each type of hog production: feeder pig production, farrow-to-finish operations and hog finishing.Livestock Production/Industries,