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- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
For the last 10 years, the American Southwest has been experiencing the most persistent drought conditions on record. Based on future climactic predictions, there is a dire need to reduce water usage within Phoenix. An environmentally responsible behavior such as low water use landscaping (xeriscaping), has been shown to reduce household water consumption by 40%-70%. While much is known regarding the relationship between socio-demographics and xeriscaping choices, the influence of other variables remains to be explored. Using data from the 2017 Phoenix Area Social Survey, this study investigates the influence of two additional variables - ecological worldview and place identity on xeriscaping choice. Data was analyzed using two models - Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Linear Probability Model (LPM). Ecological worldview and place identity, along with income, ethnicity, and gender, were all found to be positively related to xeriscape preference. Additionally, when compared to the LPM, the traditional OLS was found to still be the most robust and appropriate model when measuring landscape preference. Finally, results suggested that programs to foster identity with the local desert mountain parks may help to increase xeriscaping in the Valley and thus lower residential water use.
ContributorsSampson, Marena (Author) / Budruk, Megha (Thesis advisor) / Larson, Kelli (Committee member) / Gall, Melanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The widespread usage of technology has led to an increase in cyber threats. Organizations use indices to measure, understand, and make decisions in response to cybersecurity threats. However, the same tools do not exist to help individuals to make informed cybersecurity decisions. This work aims to understand the impact of cyber threats on individuals and take steps toward developing a composite indicator that engages them in conversations around cybersecurity. A composite indicator consolidates single indicators around a complex topic, such as cybersecurity, into one, thereby providing a means for measuring a non-trivial topic. A tool such as a composite indicator will help individuals make better cybersecurity policy decisions and enable researchers to benchmark cybersecurity consequences for the general public. However, more data and information are needed to create such a tool.To this end, this work presents semi-structured interviews with people about their exposure to cyber threats and documents some of the challenges and harms of a cyber-related incident. Based on interviews and a literature survey, this work proposes a Cyber Harm Framework for Citizens that reflects the dimensions of harm experienced by users. This framework provides a conceptual starting point for building a composite indicator. In order to develop a human-centered cyber indicator, this work explores the potential social, ethical, and design challenges that must be considered. Future work will focus on integrating the framework into a cyber-harm composite indicator, enabling individuals to make informed cybersecurity decisions.
ContributorsJacobs, Danielle R (Author) / McDaniel, Troy (Thesis advisor) / Li, Baoxin (Committee member) / Bryan, Chris (Committee member) / Michael, Katina (Committee member) / Gall, Melanie (Committee member) / Bao, Tiffany (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
As the impacts of climate change worsen in the coming decades, natural hazards are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, leading to increased loss and risk to human livelihood. The spatio-temporal statistical approaches developed and applied in this dissertation highlight the ways in which hazard data can be leveraged to understand loss trends, build forecasts, and study societal impacts of losses. Specifically, this work makes use of the Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database which is an unparalleled source of loss data for the United States. The first portion of this dissertation develops accurate loss baselines that are crucial for mitigation planning, infrastructure investment, and risk communication. This is accomplished thorough a stationarity analysis of county level losses following a normalization procedure. A wide variety of studies employ loss data without addressing stationarity assumptions or the possibility for spurious regression. This work enables the statistically rigorous application of such loss time series to modeling applications. The second portion of this work develops a novel matrix variate dynamic factor model for spatio-temporal loss data stratified across multiple correlated hazards or perils. The developed model is employed to analyze and forecast losses from convective storms, which constitute some of the highest losses covered by insurers. Adopting factor-based approach, forecasts are achieved despite the complex and often unobserved underlying drivers of these losses. The developed methodology extends the literature on dynamic factor models to matrix variate time series. Specifically, a covariance structure is imposed that is well suited to spatio-temporal problems while significantly reducing model complexity. The model is fit via the EM algorithm and Kalman filter. The third and final part of this dissertation investigates the impact of compounding hazard events on state and regional migration in the United States. Any attempt to capture trends in climate related migration must account for the inherent uncertainties surrounding climate change, natural hazard occurrences, and socioeconomic factors. For this reason, I adopt a Bayesian modeling approach that enables the explicit estimation of the inherent uncertainty. This work can provide decision-makers with greater clarity regarding the extent of knowledge on climate trends.
ContributorsBoyle, Esther Sarai (Author) / Jevtic, Petar (Thesis advisor) / Lanchier, Nicolas (Thesis advisor) / Lan, Shiwei (Committee member) / Cheng, Dan (Committee member) / Fricks, John (Committee member) / Gall, Melanie (Committee member) / Cutter, Susan (Committee member) / McNicholas, Paul (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Applying the theory of dynamic capabilities, this research explores the procedures and the outcomes of adaptations in disaster relief nonprofit organizations. Using the in-depth interviews and survey data from the managers of disaster relief nonprofit organizations in Arizona, Florida, and New Jersey, this research answers three key questions: 1) How do disaster relief nonprofit organizations apply their dynamic capabilities to make adaptations? 2) What are the impacts of dynamic capabilities, including sensing, learning, integrating, and coordinating capabilities, on the performance of disaster relief nonprofit organizations in service provision, public policy engagement, and community social capital cultivation? 3) Taking the network of Voluntary/Community Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD/COAD) as an example, can the dynamic capabilities of disaster relief nonprofit organizations explain the variation of network engagement and the gained benefits from the network among the VOAD/COAD members? The results show that the procedures of adaptation in disaster relief nonprofit organizations are associated with a rhizomic rather than a linear approach, which is implied by the theory of dynamic capabilities. Strategic connectivity, temporal simultaneity, and directional flexibility are the three critical features of the rhizome model. Additionally, dynamic capabilities significantly influence organizational performance in service provision, public policy engagement, and social capital cultivation, although sensing, learning, integrating, and coordinating capabilities shape performance differently. Moreover, network engagement, as an uncommon practice for disaster relief nonprofit organizations, is also impacted by the dynamic capabilities of disaster relief nonprofit organizations. The result shows that dynamic capabilities, especially learning capability, can promote the acquired benefits of disaster relief nonprofit organizations by bringing them more support in volunteer management and financial opportunities.
The findings not only advance the current discussion about nonprofit engagement in disaster management but also add knowledge on dynamic capabilities in the third sector. The exploration of adaptations in disaster relief nonprofit organizations and the operation of the VOAD/COAD network provides valuable implications to both nonprofit managers and government officials.
ContributorsLi, Peiyao (Author) / Wang, Lili (Thesis advisor) / Mook, Laurie (Thesis advisor) / Gerber, Brian (Committee member) / Gall, Melanie (Committee member) / Kapucu, Naim (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023