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Diagnosing Organizational Performance: An Organizational Development Study of Engineering Management Organizations
(1996) Shoura, Max Maher; Singh, Amarjit
This research was an experiment in creating an evaluation system for organizational performance diagnosis in engineering management organizations, at both private and public sectors. Multiple performance indexes were developed by measuring some 130 observations in organizational variables. The relevant organizational variables were first determined, then using responses to a questionnaire sent to engineering managers, the performance indexes were developed. Next, the results for both public and private sectors were analyzed and the conclusions were drawn. The study concluded that in most organizations, the overall operation performance is a function of the performance of the developed indexes. The results also showed most engineering management professionals widely perceive that their individual ability is much betterthan theirperformance as a group. They also perceived their ability is better than the group when it came to decision management. Both inferences are indicative of a weakness in team management in the surveyed engineering management organizations. The study further concluded that when compared with private firms, public sector engineering managers generally possess higher individual confidence, are better trained and equipped for thejob, operate under less pressure, believe in their policies (though they acknowledge room for improvement), feel positive about their organization work environment, and are generally more satisfied with theirjobs. Further, the research showed a more comfortable public sector work place and operating style. By analyzing the deviations in the indexes we verified that in most cases the responses were well focused making the drawn conclusion consistent with group responses. Also an analysis ofvariance (ANOVA) was performed on the results to confirm that the variability in results is not due to statistical chances and general randomness. The ANOVA testing provided also an additional validation to the conclusions ofthe study. This has both served the accuracy of the sampling method and confirmed the integrity ofthe derived deductions.
Life-cycle cost analysis of home-ownership
(2009) Gautam, Kamal; Singh, Amarjit
This research analyzes various economic and cost parameters to comprehend life-cycle cost of home buying and home ownership. The framework of this study lies in the fundamental concepts of life-cycle cost analysis, time-value of money, opportunity costs, cost forecasting, and inclusion of cradle-to grave expenses and revenues. This work was aimed for the benefit of first-time homebuyers as well as owner-occupied homeowners. A life-cycle cost analysis methodology has been developed, which can be used as a tool for informed decision making. The bottom line of this methodology is to alter various parameters in order to find the lowest possible equal uniform net final monthly expense (EUNFME). This methodology does not consider any elements that cannot be converted into monetary value such as psychological and social values. An Excel spreadsheet program was developed to organize the calculations and analysis according to the developed methodology. Then, program codes were written in Matlab, which was used in analyzing a typical purchase scenario, using relevant data for a median priced single-family house located in O'ahu, Hawai'i. Relevant economic time series data were collected and used for cost forecasting, price escalation, and to calculate real rate of return. The analysis of the typical example varied multiple purchasing conditions such as mortgage interest rate, discount points, size of down payment, and alternative investment opportunities to arrive at a rational buying decision. Buying versus renting analysis was also included in the purchase evaluation. Buying a house is a complex process, a marriage between comforts of a facility and financing in a property. Analysis of the example indicated that in order to minimize the equal uniform net final monthly expenses, buyer should explore conditions that reduce opportunity losses and maximizes the economic returns. Some of these conditions are: (i) paying least amount of down payment when CD rates are higher than mortgage rates, (ii) exploring a suitable combination of mortgage rate and discount points that optimizes the economic benefits. The trends of the results are independent of the purchase price of the house, but are dependent on all the other purchase parameters. Purchasing an owner-occupied house may bring some tax return, but benefits are often overemphasized. Similarly, buying a house as an investment alternative was not found to be attractive under many conditions. The housing affordability index (HAI) put out by the realtors is found to be more liberal in the absence of comprehensive life-cycle cost consideration of home-ownership. In many occasions renting a house could serve the needed functional purpose and may prove to be economically more attractive than an owner-occupied house.
The first language acquisition of nominal inflection in Northern East Cree: Possessives and nouns
(2022) Henke, Ryan; Deen, Kamil U.; Linguistics
This is a modified version of a 2020 dissertation, submitted by the author in 2022, featuring bookmarks within the PDF and corrected pagination. Per the author, the dissertation has otherwise not been changed. Original and full abstract can be found at http://hdl.handle.net/10125/69015. Brief abstract: "This dissertation describes the first language (L1) acquisition of nominal inflection in Northern East Cree (NEC), a member of the Cree-Innu-Naskapi dialect complex within the Algonquian language family, which is spoken in four Eeyou Istchee communities in Northern Québec. The category of nominals includes nouns, demonstratives, and pronouns, where nouns inflect with templatic morphology involving one prefix and four suffix positions. This study focuses primarily upon nouns within possessive constructions, which entail the richest range of inflectional possibilities and mark multiple inflectional features of both possessees and possessors—including grammatical animacy, obviation, and number. This is the first dedicated study of the L1 acquisition of possessive marking within a polysynthetic language, and this dissertation aims to provide findings to inform linguistic science as well as community-centered efforts in L1 development and language revitalization."
Urban-Rural Compliance Variability to COVID-19 Restrictions of Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) Funerals in Fiji
(2021-04-14) Vave, Ron; Friedlander, Alan
Research on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has focused primarily on impacts in Western societies despite emerging evidence of increased vulnerability among indigenous peoples such as Pacific Islanders. Using Facebook public posts, this research assessed compliance to COVID-19 restrictions such as social gatherings (SG) and social distancing (SD) in non-COVID-19, indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) funerals in Fiji. Results showed 95% of the 20 funerals exceeding SG limits with greater, and highly variable crowd sizes in rural than urban communities. Additionally, 75% of the 20 funerals did not adhere to the 2-m SD requirement of which 80% were in rural areas. Higher SG and SD compliance in urban funerals could be partially explained by the presence of a recognized authority who enforced crowd size limits, and the heterogeneous urban community who were more likely to flag breaches than their collectivistic, homogeneous, close-knit, rural counterparts. Ultimately, health authorities need to utilize a social lens that incorporates etic and emic differences in culture to ensure maximum compliance.
Colonization and prehistory on the island of Maui : a radiocarbon synthesis of Maui island
(2012) Duarte, Trever K.
A long standing debate on the chronology of the colonization of the Hawaiian Islands has driven archaeological investigations and critical re-considerations in the use of radiocarbon dating (Dye, 2000; Wilmshurst et. al.; 2011a; Rieth et. al.; 2011). Understanding the potential effect of in-built age of unidentified wood charcoal reveals uncertainty in establishing the age of early arrival of Polynesians in Hawai`i. Poor criteria for radiocarbon selection have contributed to both long and short chronologies. In the case of long chronologies, a majority of the evidence of an early colonization are from dates derived from unidentified charcoal, accepting large amounts of error in the process. Short chronologies have relied on dates from paleo-environmental context. These results provide poor association to actual anthropogenic events, which entertain a degree of doubt when used to discuss island settlement. The highest precision of radiometric dating is provided by a conscious selection of short-lived plant taxa and parts, which contain a small degree of error in the dating of a target event, and are ideal in tracing the Polynesian migration to Hawai`i. Dates of the highest precision, assessed through a systematic classification of radiometric dates, have been used to re-construct a 13th century colonization of Hawai`i (Wilmshurst et al. 2011a; Rieth et al. 2011). This project analyzes the results of 831 radiocarbon dates from Maui Island and uses a classification system to assess dates with the highest precision and accuracy for dating initial Polynesian colonization. From the earliest dates of identified short-lived plant taxa and parts, the AD 1214—1255 settlement of Maui is the most reliable date of colonization.
The Development of Hawai'i's Kumu Kahua Theatre and Its Core Repertory: The "Local" Plays of Sakamoto, Lum and Kneubuhl
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2002) Mattos, Justina T.; Carroll, W. Dennis; Theatre
Kumu Kahua Theatre is a non-profit theatre company in Honolulu which has been in existence since 1971. It is the only theatre in the world dedicated to producing plays which speak particularly to the multi-ethnic audiences of Hawai‘i. Over the past thirty years Hawai‘i’s “local” playwrights have benefited from a working relationship with Kumu Kahua Theatre, which has served as an original stage on which they could practice and refine their craft. This dissertation defines what is meant by “local” theatre, and includes a brief historical overview of Hawai‘i’s socio-political climate and theatrical activities before 1971 to provide a foundation from which to discuss Kumu Kahua Theatre and Hawai‘i’s contemporary “local” playwrights. The activities of Kumu Kahua Theatre from 1971 through 1999 are described, focusing upon the productions of significant “local” plays during this period, and the role of Kumu Kahua Theatre in the growth and refinement of “local” drama. Playwrights mentioned here include: Aldyth Morris, Lynette Amano, James Grant Benton, Jon Shirota, Milton Murayama, Brian Clark, Peter Charlot, John Kneubuhl, Daniel Therriault, and Alani Apio. Three playwrights, Edward Sakamoto, Darrell H.Y. Lum and Victoria Nālani Kneubuhl, stand out for their contributions to “local” theatre, and their plays have comprised the core repertory of Kumu Kahua Theatre. Chapters three, four and five analyze the “local” plays for adults by these writers. The conclusion compares and contrasts these three playwrights, summarizing the overall developments in “local” theatre and the role of Kumu Kahua Theatre in Hawai‘i’s “local” drama tradition. Tammy Haili‘ōpua Baker’s Hawaiian language theatre troupe, Ka Hālau Hanakeaka, is briefly discussed in reference to the changing use of language in Hawaiʻi’s “local” drama and as a possible indication of what we might expect more of in the future. Four appendices are provided. Appendix A lists all plays produced by Kumu Kahua Theatre, including the names of playwrights, directors, venues, and production dates. Appendix B provides a season-by-season listing of Kumu Kahua Board Members. Appendix C summarizes the box-office reports for each production from which these figures were available. Appendix D lists Hawai‘i’s “local” playwrights and “local” plays.
"The Changeling" and the Carnivalesque
(2015-06-24) Lennon, Paul; Sammons, Todd; Zuern, John
One of the features of Jacobean Drama generally, and the play The Changeling specifically, is its polysemous nature. There are multiple and complex strands in the composition of the play, which can render multiple interpretations. Critics, though, in making their arguments, sometimes ignore those elements which are not conducive to their position. The Changeling has been the genesis of such criticism in which obvious elements of the drama are omitted, for they don't support the argument being made. The very complexity of this play, which richly absorbs the issues of the times in which it was written, can make it simultaneously fecund and unwieldy for critical interpretations.
UHM Library Technology Survey 2014
(2015-03-19) Beamer, Jennifer
Archaeological Investigations at Maunawila Heiau: Traditional Hawaiʻi in Hauʻula's Backyard
(2014) Thurman, Rosanna Mari Runyon
From report's Introduction section: The Maunawila Heiau project is located on the northeast shore of O‘ahu within Hau‘ula Ahupua‘a, Tax Map Key (TMK): [1] 5‐4‐05: 010. This project was conducted per request of the landowners, the heirs of Daniel and Louise A‘oe McGregor, and has been organized in coordination with the McGregor ‘ohana (family), Dr. James Bayman (Coordinator of the Applied Archaeology Program at the University of Hawai‘i‐Mānoa), and the Hau‘ula Community Association (HCA). This project was prompted by a planned change in land ownership of TMK: [1] 5‐4‐05: 010. The McGregor ‘ohana wanted to ensure preservation of archaeological features on the property. Support for preservation and maintenance of Maunawila Heiau was provided by the Ko‘olauloa Hawaiian Civic Club and local community members. The parcel is in the process of being purchased by the Hawai‘i Island Land Trust (HILT), with assistance from the Clean Water and Natural Lands Commission and the Legacy Lands Conservation Commission. The study area is presented on an island‐wide USGS map (Figure 1), an aerial photograph (Figure 2), a USGS Hau‘ula quadrangle map (Figure 3), and a TMK map (Figure 4). This project was completed in fulfillment of requirements for my degree in the Applied Archaeology Program at UH‐Mānoa. Fieldwork was conducted under archaeological permits issued to the principle investigator, Dr. James Bayman (in accordance with Hawaii Regulatory Statutes [HRS] 13‐13‐281). This project was conducted in accordance with Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR) for archaeological inventory surveys (13‐13‐279).
Mākālei, ka Lāʻau Piʻi Ona a ka iʻa, o Moaʻulanuiākea i kaulana. He Moʻolelo Kahiko no ka huli Koʻolau o Kailua a me Waimānalo.
(2014) Stone, Johanna Pōmaikaʻi
He pepa nui laeoʻo kēia i waiho ʻia i mua o Kawaihuelani, ke keʻena ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi o ke kulanui o Hawaiʻi, ma Mānoa, i mea e kō ai kekahi o nā koina o ka palapala nui laeoʻo ma ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Abstract in English: This masters project of "Mākālei, the famous fish attracting branch of Moaʻulanuiākea. A history of old of the Koʻolau sections of Kailua and Waimānalo," is a project that aims at refamiliarizing modern Hawaiian language audiences of today to this story of old that lies in the repository of the Hawaiian language newspapers, of which but a small handful of people have the adequate skill and language ability to access and clearly understand this rich moʻolelo. The project is also aims to be a model for similar projects and inspire the returning to many of the moʻolelo kahiko in the repository of the Hawaiian language newspapers and pave a path for those with the necessary language ability to build a similar bridge and create more adaptions and retellings of these important stories. This is so that we may once again remember the stories, values, traditions and enlightenment of our own ancestors, for in those stories of your native motherland lies the mindset and world view of those who have come before you, and lays a foundation and reconnection for those now. Mākālei is a story of a small boy of Makawao, in the uplands of Kailua, Oʻahu named Kahinihiniʻula. Mākālei is a story that tells us, if we do not look after everyone in the community, down to the smallest of children, we will be met with great difficulties and distress. Kahinihiniʻula was not given his share of fish after a workday in the fishpond of Kawainui. This sets into motion, his grandmother, Nīʻula, and his ancient ancestor, Haumea to take revenge upon the rulers of Kailua and draw the fish from the ponds of Kawainui and Kaʻelepulu, with the Mākālei branch, to the spring below their house in Makawao. Haumea takes Kahinihiniʻula on a journey were he is hidden from the search party of the aliʻi by his play friends. It is with his play friends that he learns to swim, dive and surf, the necessary skills needed to travel to ʻUpolu, the land of the gods. Mākālei is a story of the great power of the divine feminine, the Cosmic Mother, Haumea, and the journey of Kahinihiniʻula gaining knowledge from her guidance and elevating his status to the circle of chiefs.

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