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Löfstedt, Ragnar E. "Dilemma of Swedish energy policy : implications for international policy makers /." Aldershot : Ashgate publ, 1993. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb41193614q.
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Harris, Jeannie E. "Tax expenditures : report utilization by state policy makers /." Diss., This resource online, 1990. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06062008-172057/.
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Wardell, Rebecca. "Influences on Transport Policy Makers and Their Attitudes Towards Peak Oil." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/5013.
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Transport plays a vital role in society, and energy for transport relies on fossil fuels. However, the future of the transport system is uncertain due to a concept relating to the diminishing supply of fossil fuels, termed ‘peak oil’.
Transport policy makers have an important role to play in planning for a possible reduction in the availability of fossil fuels, however it remains unclear how they perceive the issue, exactly who or what influences their perception, and even if they are prepared (or not) to put in place measures that could minimise the potential impacts. It is vital that we understand all the factors and the actors involved in transport policy making, in order to understand why this issue is not currently widely accepted as part of mainstream transport policy.
A conceptual model and theoretical framework have been developed to outline a method for gaining a better understanding of the characteristics of, and influences on, the transport policy makers at a local level, and how they view the peak oil problem. In order to test the theoretical framework, a series of case studies were conducted in three cities of varying sizes in New Zealand. The case studies involved interviews and surveys with transport policy makers.
The results of the case study established that many technical staff have major concerns about peak oil but their concerns are not translated into policy because the majority of elected officials, who give the final approval on policy, believe that alternative fuels and new technologies will mitigate any peak oil impacts. This view is reinforced by a lack of scientific evidence to the contrary, and a lack of political and financial support from Central government to plan for peak oil. A change in attitude towards peak oil by Central government is a pre-requisite to introducing planning for peak oil at the local level in New Zealand.
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Costa, Diogo Freitas Lopes Pereira da. "Policies, policy-makers and financial flows: An empirical examination." Master's thesis, NSBE - UNL, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/9695.
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A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsThis paper examines the response of international investors to country fiscal outcomes and the dynamics of this response according to the type of government that is in power. The issue is examined with a model that has been estimated using data from 22 OECD countries for the period of 1998 through 2008. International financial flows are highly heterogeneous and this paper finds different effects depending on the type of flow. The results of this paper suggest that an increase in government expenses increase the level of FDI and an increase in government revenues decrease the level of FDI. The evidence produced in the model also suggests that Majority governments have a negative impact on the level of the three types of capital flows.
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Kennedy, Aimee L. "Superintendents as Policy Makers: How District Leaders Interpret and Implement State Level Policy." The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1480600641838665.
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Siddi, Marco. "Divisive identities, divided foreign policy? : policy makers' discourses on Russia in Germany, Poland and Finland." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/16226.
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Numerous academics and foreign policy practitioners have argued that relations with Russia are one of the most divisive issues within the European Union (cf. Leonard and Popescu 2007, Mandelson 2007). Mainstream explanations highlight that this is due to the different interests and security concerns of EU member states (David et al. 2011). This dissertation proposes an alternative understanding that focuses on national identity construction and Russia‘s role therein. Germany, Poland and Finland, three EU member states that traditionally have different stances towards Russia, are selected for in-depth analysis. The key argument is that divergent national discourses on Russia are due to the different ways in which the country was constructed in national identity. In order to show this, the thesis elaborates on social constructivist scholarship studying the relationship between identity and foreign policy. It argues that constructivist models theorising a causal link between identity and foreign policy (eg Wendt 1999, Katzenstein 1996) are insufficient to fully explain the complexity of this relationship. Drawing on the work of scholars such as Ted Hopf (2002), Richard Ned Lebow (2008, 2008a) and Ole Waever (2002), this thesis develops an interpretive theoretical framework in which national identity and foreign policy are conceptualised as mutually constitutive and studied at the level of discourses. Dominant identity and foreign policy narratives are examined in a longue durée perspective, which allows for an exploration of their deep historical roots. The research conducted through this model highlights the relevance of long-standing narratives on Russia to current foreign policy discourses. However, the thesis also shows that national identity is malleable and top national officials can reformulate dominant discourses in order to achieve particular foreign policy goals. This is illustrated in the case studies, which focus on official narratives concerning the building of the Nord Stream pipeline, the Russian-Georgian war of August 2008 and the mass demonstrations in Russian cities in the winter of 2011-2012. The empirical analysis shows that gradual convergence took place across national discourses as national constructions of Russia were reformulated in order to pursue a pragmatic foreign policy towards Moscow. Finally, through the comparison of national discourses in the EU discursive arena, the dissertation assesses the prospects for the emergence of shared EU foreign policy narratives on Russia.
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Jonas, Obonye. "Critical appraisal of the mutual engagement of the African states in the african peer review and universal periodic review mechanisms : a human rights perspective." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/16762.
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We must face the matter squarely that where there is something wrong in how we govern
ourselves, it must be said that the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves. We know that we
have it in ourselves, as Africans, to change all this. We must assert our will to do so – we must say
that there is no obstacle big enough to stop us from bringing about an African renaissance –
Nelson Mandela.
Africa’s woes - social disequilibrium, civil wars, ethnic unrest, poverty, corruption, disease, bad
governance, violations of human rights, decrepit institutions, are all public knowledge and are hardly
new to academic discourse. They have been the subject of several studies and analyses by scholars,
politicians and policy makers.Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2010.
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Prof. Edward K. Quashigah, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. 2010.
http://www.chr.up.ac.za/
Centre for Human Rights
LLM
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Altobelli, Louis. "Examining U.S. Policy Makers' Conceptions of Liberty in Drafting the Affordable Care Act." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3381.
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The U.S. legislators may have incorrectly incorporated outlooks on liberty and natural law associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. The purpose of this case study was to use Kersch's conceptualization of declarationism and Hayek & Kamowy's construct of socialism to examine whether the ACA incorporates principles associated with the natural right of liberty as promoted by the Founders of the United States. The central research question that guided this study investigated whether U.S. lawmakers followed the intentions of the Founders in passing the ACA, as demonstrated in the legislation, related bureaucratic reports, and court cases. Data for this study consisted of seminal and foundational document such as the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution, public law, and publicly available government documents related to the enactment and implementation of the ACA. These data were deductively coded and subjected to a thematic analysis. Findings indicate there was evidence of partisanship in the bill drafting process, possible violations of parliamentary procedure, and judicial activism. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to policy makers to remain diligent and cognizant of the risks of drifting from the principles of liberal, constitutional democracy. Doing so may promote more equitable and efficient implementation of landmark and controversial public policy.
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Duhamel, Marc. "Essays on second-best economic policymaking with price makers." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0017/NQ56535.pdf.
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Malan, Franck Adonis. "International political economy : on the trajectories of policy-makers and reforms policies." Thesis, Normandie, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017NORMLH10/document.
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Cette thèse en politique économique internationale analyse à travers 4 chapitres les facteurs influençant la prise de décision en se focalisant sur les trajectoires des décideurs. Le premier chapitre montre que les membres du Conseil d’Administration (CA) du Fonds Monétaire International (FMI) ont un avantage considérable en matière de prêt et de remboursement sur les autres membres du FMI à travers des réseaux informels développés par leur simple présence aux réunions de CA du FMI à Washington DC. Le second chapitre met l’accent sur les trajectoires de carrière des membres du CA du FMI avant et après leur poste au sein de cette institution et comment ces trajectoires influent les prêts et les modalités de remboursement des pays emprunteurs. Dans un troisième chapitre, nous cherchons à savoir si les années de récession connues par les Présidents des Banques Centrales des pays occidentaux sont en mesure d’influencer leur gestion de ces institutions. Enfin, le quatrième chapitre propose un modèle d’économie politique des réformes en montrant l’importance des syndicats des travailleurs ainsi que des transferts de richesse de la part des gouvernements vers les populations, sur la mise en œuvre des réformes au sein des pays de l’OCDE. Cette thèse montre qu’à l’instar des décideurs nationaux qui ont tendance à influencer directement la vie économique des pays, les décideurs internationaux de par leurs histoires, leurs identités et leurs expériences de vie, peuvent également influencer la sphère économique des paysThis thesis in international political economy analyses factors influencing the decision-taking focusing on the trajectories of policy-makers across 4 chapters. The first chapter shows that the IMF’s Executive Board (EB) members have a considerable advantage on other IMF members in terms of loans and repayments through informal networks developed by their simple presence on the IMF’s EB at Washington DC. The second chapter focuses on the IMF’s EB career trajectories before and after their position, and how these trajectories influence loans and repayment modalities of borrowing countries. In a third chapter, we want to know in what extend central bankers’ recession experiences tend to lead them to decrease the interest rates of central banks. Finally, the fourth chapter proposes a model of political economy of reforms showing the importance of unions and transfers from governments to populations concerning the implementation of reforms in OECD countries. This thesis shows that, as national policy-makers which tend to directly influence the economic life, international policy-makers, through their stories, identities and life experiences, can also influence the economic sphere of countries
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Barr, Corri L. "The web, policy makers, news media, and the public agenda in Canada." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0020/MQ36811.pdf.
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Eisenberg, Emma R. "U.S. Democratization Efforts in Haiti and Iraq: Implications for Future Policy Makers." Oberlin College Honors Theses / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1493982358738486.
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Gatts, Erica. "From Science to Policy: a strategy to communicate the science of early childhood to Pennsylvania policy makers." Research Showcase @ CMU, 2012. http://repository.cmu.edu/theses/39.
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This thesis project recommends a communication strategy for the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Child Development (OCD). It supports OCD in the development of evidence-based communication that targets state policymakers about early childhood issues. The proposed strategy assembles a set of communication materials and heuristics to help OCD educate and inform Pennsylvania legislators about child policy issues statewide. The strategy uses scientific evidence—the latest studies on pre-kindergarten care environments and neuroscientific research on early childhood development—in order to accurately depict the current state of early childhood care in Pennsylvania, as a means of encouraging legislators to make informed policy decisions. The strategy consists of a set of audience-specific, visual-verbal communication guidelines, along with specific recommendations for the timing of communication and selection of content. It serves as a template that can be used to address state lawmakers for a wide range of communication projects. The strategy is shaped by several factors: OCD’s focus on evidence-based communication practices, an understanding of the current science behind early childhood development, research on the target audience’s communication practices, and the shared intention to create a lasting yet flexible set of materials for OCD’s use in addressing early childhood policy issues.
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Jammeh, Burama L. J. "Curriculum policy making : a study of teachers' and policy-makers' perspectives on The Gambian Basic Education Programme." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2012. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/2880/.
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This thesis aims at a critical understanding of how the curriculum policy making process is perceived by teachers and policy-makers in The Gambia, a former British colony. The complexity of curriculum policy issues requires this study to draw on multiple theoretical underpinnings in order to gain insight into curriculum policy relating to Basic Education in The Gambia. Therefore, curriculum theories and education policy literature including the issues of globalisation and national policy are engaged to frame the data collection, analysis and findings. Data obtained from semi structured interviews are used to analyse the perceptions. The thesis examines critically the historical and contemporary approaches to curriculum policy making, identifies the key policy players and analyses their significance in the construction of the national curriculum policy. The thesis further investigates experiences and views about the policy in practice and recommends a new approach to the curriculum policy making. Two levels of the curriculum policy making process are found to be influential in The Gambia: the international (global) and the national and local levels. While the global influences are profound on the strategic education policy, the national and local effects are stronger than the global impact on the operational policy (curriculum plans). The thesis argues that policy is not simply received and implemented as given. Although incidences of compliance are noted, curriculum policy guidelines developed by the Ministry of Education are continually interpreted, sometimes misunderstood and/or resisted by the teachers. Gaps between policy and the implementation are found, resulting from the resource constraints and the practitionersâ influences and impacts. A curriculum policy reform is recommended, recognising the centrality of teachers in the curriculum process, promoting the empowerment of the teachers and building their capacity to engage in informed policy mediation and to enable them to put their own policy into practice.
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Nkuepo, Henri J. "Enhancing the capacity of policy-makers to mainstream gender in trade policy and make trade responsive to women's needs: A South African perspective." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/2551.
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Magister Legum - LLMThe impact of trade policies on the pursuit of gender equality is often ignored. Recognising the link between trade and gender, this dissertation aims to enhance the capacity of policy-makers to mainstream gender in trade policy and to help identify ways for using trade to respond to women's needs in South Africa. In order to meet this objective, it analyses the impacts that trade liberalisation has had on the economy and on gender in general and in South Africa in particular. In addition, it evaluates the impacts on men and women in order to see if trade has contributed to reducing, accentuating or perpetuating gender inequality in South Africa. Findings have confirmed that Trade liberalisation has had both positive and negative impacts on women and men. But, they have also demonstrated that trade liberalisation has affected women and men differently having negative influences on the pursuit of gender equality. The research has, however, concluded that the impact of trade liberalisation on the pursuit of gender equality is influenced by other key factors. As strategy to mainstream gender in trade policies, the research suggests that policy-makers should analyse the implications for women and men of any trade policy before adopting such policy. This analysis would help him/her to see the possible imbalances of the new policy and implement policies and programmes to eradicate them. Also, it will help him/her to identify possible ways for using trade to empower women. The research is based on the idea that the elimination of the existing inequalities will put women at the same stage with men and will, therefore, contribute to women's empowerment in South Africa.
South Africa
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McCann, David Patrick. "The impact of proximate policy makers on cross-border relations from 1959-73." Thesis, University of Ulster, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.592887.
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This research, using a range of sources, will examine the development of relations between the governments of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic from June 1959 to February 1973. Using the theoretical framework of Charles Lindblom, who argues that policy makers make decisions in an incremental fashion, this thesis will illustrate how Lindblom's theory accurately reflects how the Northern and Southern governments developed their own policies towards cross-border co-operation. The thesis will outline how Sean Lemass becoming Taoiseach represented a shift in the Irish government's policy on Northern Ireland as he attempted to improve relations with not just the Unionist government but also the British government. Furthermore, using primarily cabinet and personal papers the research will seek to examine the rationale of Lemass in promoting closer co-operation with Northern Ireland. The thesis will also illustrate how both external and internal political pressures impacted on the development of North-South relations. The case of the Northern Ireland Prime Minister, Terence O'Neill, illustrates how pressure from the British government and from his own cabinet led him to embark upon a policy of improving relations with the Irish government. The research will also, using newspapers from that period, examine the political reaction to the policies and proposals made by the Irish government during this period. Relations between both governments in the aftermath of the O'NeilllLemass summit in January 1965 will be critically evaluated. In addition to this, attention will be drawn to the paralysis that had overcome formal co-operation from 1966 onwards as result of the coincidence of the fiftieth anniversaries of the Somme and 1916 rising.
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Tabet, Marie-Christine. "Household labour supply in Great Britain : can policy-makers rely on neoclassical models?" Thesis, University of Sussex, 2010. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/2358/.
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This thesis empirically examines whether the neoclassical economic model provides an adequate framework to analyse a couple's labour supply behaviour in Britain using recent data from the British Household Panel Survey. The thesis comprises three empirical chapters. The first chapter uses the instrumental variable (IV) estimation procedure to model the hours of work of married couples. This approach allows us to test whether some of the assumptions of the neoclassical model (e.g., income pooling and Slutsky properties) are satisfied by the data. In addition, further variables that have been identified as distribution factors in the literature are introduced to the empirical model to assess whether they play a role in explaining a couple's hours of work. The first chapter only considers couples in which both spouses work. In the second chapter, the sample is amended to include all couples (i.e., those that work and those that do not) and the analysis conducted models a couple's labour market participation decisions rather than their hours of work. After testing for income pooling and the impact of distribution factors, a further variable, the wife's mother-in-law work status when the male spouse was aged 14, is introduced into the model. This is done to determine the effect of 'cultural' variables on labour market decisions. In the last chapter, this issue is explored further by explicitly modelling attitudes to a woman's role in the labour market. This approach uses a bivariate ordered probit model given the ordinal nature of responses to the attitudinal questions and again restricts the analysis to couples only. Finally, gender-role attitudes are introduced to the labour supply framework used in the second chapter in order to evaluate whether beliefs regarding women's role impact on a couple's labour market decisions.
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Peasley, Donald D. "Ratings of quality indicators for secondary vocational education programs by education policy makers." The Ohio State University, 1993. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1243604095.
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Hürlimann, Mark. "Dealing with real-world complexity limits, enhancements and new approaches for policy makers." Wiesbaden Gabler, 2008. http://d-nb.info/991545478/04.
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TARRY, DANIELLE IRENE. "PUBLIC POLICY FOR EDUCATION: AN ANALYSIS OF PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED BY TASK FORCES ON EDUCATION AND ARIZONA STATE POLICY MAKERS." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/188040.
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The purpose of this study was to compare the activities of four policy actors in Arizona with common recommendations of eight task force studies on K-12 public education in an effort to determine changes in policy priorities for education in Arizona from 1981 through 1984. The policy actors investigated were the Arizona State Board of Education, the Arizona Legislature, Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, and the lobby efforts of the Arizona Education Association. Activities of these four policy actors were compared with common recommendations from The Paideia Proposal--An Educational Manifesto, A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform, Making the Grade, Action for Excellence--A Comprehensive Plan to Improve Our Nation's Schools, A Place Called School-Prospects for the Future (national reports), Education in Arizona: Popular Concerns Unpopular Choices, A Statewide Report Concerning Public Education, and A Call to Excellence--A Plan for the Renewal of Arizona Public Schools (state reports). A comparative documentary analysis was made of the quantitative and qualitative data gathered. It was found that 17 recommendations were common (consensus of four or more) among the five national and three state reports under consideration: (1) establishing a K-12 core curriculum; (2) upgrading textbooks; (3) increasing the amount of homework required; (4) lengthening the number of days in the school year; (5) providing extra programs for slow learners and gifted students; (6) lengthening the school day; (7) establishing codes of student conduct; (8) improving the use of school time; (9) increasing preschool and kindergarten programs; (10) removing tasks from teachers; (11) improving student attendance; (12) improving teacher preparation programs; (13) increasing teachers' salaries; (14) providing 11-12 month teacher contracts; (15) rewarding superior teachers; (16) evaluating teachers; and (17) defining the principal's role as instructional leader. Using the 17 common recommendations for education policy as a screening device, it was determined that the majority of new education policy in Arizona emanated from the State Legislature from 1981 through 1984. The Arizona State Board of Education seemed second in the amount of influence generated. Governor Bruce Babbitt and the Arizona Education Association played lesser roles as far as successful completion of their respective recommended policies were concerned.
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Han, Junghee. "Effects of Restaurant Tax and Price Increases: Implications for Managers, Policy Makers, and Lobbyists." UKnowledge, 2013. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/mat_etds/3.
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Legislation has been proposed in Kentucky that would authorize city legislative bodies to levy a tax on restaurant meals of no more than 3%, regardless of the size of the city. The bill has garnered attention from Kentucky Travel Industry Association, the Kentucky Restaurant Association, and local tourism and restaurant organizations and associations that oppose the tax. The Kentucky League of Cities, an organization that represents the interests of city governments, supports the tax. The purpose of this research was to examine how a change in the tax rate on restaurant meals would affect restaurant demand. Effects of changes in restaurant demand were tested using the following independent variables: type of restaurant, menu offering, frequency, expense, and location. Self-administered online surveys were distributed to adult residents in Kentucky, which yielded a sample size of 1,263 individuals. Paired sample t test was applied to make comparison between scenario 1 (current) and scenario 2 (3%) and scenario 1 (current) and scenario 3 (JND). Findings showed that demand patterns in each class of city would be affected by increases in taxes and prices.
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Hughes, C. M. "Women's surreptitious vocations : policies and women policy-makers in English adult education 1910-1975." Thesis, London South Bank University, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.314961.
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Ozdoglar, Mehmet Rasit. "Assessment Of Criteria-rich Rankings For Decision Makers." Master's thesis, METU, 2010. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/3/12611509/index.pdf.
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Environmental policymaking is a difficult issue for governments. It is desirable to have the decisions based on the results of quantitative and analytical studies. On the other hand, by their very nature, many such decisions have political aspects, whose subtleties are difficult to be captured by quantitative approaches alone. It is left to the political establishments to decide how best to allocate the efforts to improve environmental conditions. In this respect, evaluating the countries by generating environmental indices and the subsequent ranking of the countries with respect to those indices is a common practice. Perhaps the best known environmental sustainability index, the Environmental Performance Index-2008 (EPI-2008), is a composite index that comprises 6 core policy categories and 25 indicators.
While recognizing the qualitative aspects of such decision making, in order to support and guide the policymaking process, we develop analytical tools to assist the process. We carefully delineate our models to be limited only to the provable quantitative properties of the available objective data. However, such data are processed into more meaningful statements concerning the available options. Specifically, using EPI-2008, meaningful mathematical models that shed further light onto the country sustainability measures are developed.
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Gulyurtlu, Sandra Sibel Cabrita. "Policy, identity and practice : a study of how policy decisions regarding the welfare of chdren with disabilities are formulated within the Portuguese welfare state." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/6496.
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This thesis seeks to explore how key decision-makers within the Portuguese civil service formulate decisions regarding policies orientated at children with disabilities. It breaks the issue down by focusing on three main perspectives - the decisionmaker, the policy framework and children with disabilities. The decision-maker was analysed in the context her/his professional identity. By combining social identity theory (self-categorisation) and identity theory (role-identification) and interview data, this thesis found that the basis for decision-making was the way in which the term "children with disabilities" was identified and conceptualised by the decisionmaker, as well as the associated approaches, rules and guidelines at both the national and international level. It found a variable balance of influences between the concepts of parenting and families, the norms of the Portuguese welfare system and the emergent international thinking regarding children with disabilities. Through the use of a multi-method approach which incorporated interviews, vignettes and documentary analysis this thesis captured the approaches of each decision-maker. This thesis found that children with disabilities were predominantly viewed as dependants. The familialist structure of the Portuguese welfare state introduces the notion of a "disabled family", whereby the family carries the responsibility of addressing the challenges associated with children's disability and state support is directed at the family. In addition, this thesis found that "normalisation" was the predominant approach to disability, regardless of intended approach of each decision-maker. This study concluded that a combination of rehabilitative and integrative policy impulses in a context of limited and incomplete information and guidelines from international organisations have influenced this approach.
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Blyden, Eleanor R. Penn. "Utilization of needs assessments by decision makers : a comparative analysis of assessment methods." FIU Digital Commons, 1995. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1715.
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The major purpose of this study was to ascertain how needs assessment findings and methodologies are accepted by public decision makers in the U. S. Virgin Islands. To accomplish this, the following five different needs assessments were executed: (1) population survey; (2) key informants survey; (3) community forum; (4) rates-under-treatment (RUT); and (5) social indicators analysis. The assessments measured unmet needs of older persons regarding transportation, in-home care, and sociorecreation services, and determined which of the five methodologies is most costly, time consuming, and valid.
The results of a five-way comparative analysis was presented to public sector decision makers who were surveyed to determine whether they are influenced more by needs assessment findings, or by the methodology used, and to ascertain the factors that lead to their acceptance of needs assessment findings and methodologies.
The survey results revealed that acceptance of findings and methodology is influenced by the congruency of the findings with decision makers' goals and objectives, feasibility of the findings, and credibility of the researcher.
The study also found that decision makers are influenced equally by needs assessment findings and methodology; that they prefer population surveys, although they are the most expensive and time consuming of the methodologies; that different types of needs assessments produce different results; and, that needs assessment is an essential program planning tool. Executive decision makers are found to be influenced more by management factors than by legal and political factors, while legislative decision makers are influenced more by legal factors. Decision makers overwhelmingly view their leadership style as democratic.
A typology of the five needs assessments, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses is offered as a planning guide for public decision makers.
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Berry, Jonathan. "An investigation into teachers' professional autonomy in England : implications for policy and practice." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/10337.
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The current coalition government in England has expressed its commitment to establishing an autonomous teaching profession. This study argues that such autonomy cannot exist in a system that is ideologically driven by market forces and neo-liberal policy. The best situation that most teachers can hope to experience – barring a seismic shift in material conditions – is an earned and scrutinised autonomy, which is an oxymoronic concept. It is argued that the tight control exercised by the state over what happens in schools through its promotion of market forces, reinforces the ideological nature of schooling in England. The theoretical and ontological basis of the study resides in an orthodox Marxist perspective and analyses the way in which neo-liberalism has formed the basis for the material conditions under which teachers currently work. It develops this idea to demonstrate how this dominant ideology pervades current discourse about pedagogy and curriculum, reducing such discourse to a narrower consideration of ‘standards’. It considers how this diminution of what the curriculum has become has, in its turn, had an impact on teachers’ view of their professional autonomy. Data are gathered from two rounds of interviews with 22 serving teachers complemented by some written responses from them. Six others with a professional interest in education policy-making, four of whom are headteachers, are also interviewed. The conclusion is drawn that teachers’ autonomy remains restricted, with any independence of action largely contingent upon the production of outcomes measured against limited, pre-determined and ideologically driven outcomes. The study identifies a disconnection between the aspirations of teachers with regard to their professional autonomy and those of some, but not all, headteachers. A further disconnection between the aspirations of teachers and the policies of central government is also identified. Significantly, teachers may enjoy more professional autonomy in those schools which currently, and possibly temporarily, enjoy market popularity. In terms of a contribution to the debate about teacher autonomy, the study demonstrates that, notwithstanding the effects of the current policy ensemble, teachers maintain a sense of what education could offer young people that goes beyond the existing, reductive models that frame their working lives.
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Sakamoto, Junichi, Tomoya Hirosawa, Pornsuree Srisawang, and Harun-Or-Rashid. "KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BARRIERS OF PHYSICIANS, POLICY MAKERS/REGULATORS REGARDING USE OF OPIOIDS FOR CANCER PAIN MANAGEMENT IN THAILAND." Nagoya University School of Medicine, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2237/18469.
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Abadi, Ayda. "A study of innovation perception within the construction industry." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2014. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/a-study-of-innovation-perception-within-the-construction-industry(792b21a2-8168-435b-b7dc-26b459fc7328).html.
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There is a long history of criticising the construction industry for its lack of innovation as a source of competitive advantage. However, through a critical literature review, it was found that the problem with managing innovation in construction has its roots in a misconception of innovation and indeed the industry is a source of new ideas. This thesis draws on prior publications in the field of innovation management, organisational narratives and sensemaking theory and aims to analyse innovation perception within the construction industry, focusing on the meanings attributed by the industry’s practitioners and policy makers. In contrast to the dominant positivist and rationalistic approach in studying construction innovation, this research employs a qualitative, interpretative, social constructionist perspective. Data is incorporated through twenty semi-structured interviews with practitioners who work within the UK construction firms as well as UK government reports published regarding the progress review of performance of the construction industry. The findings of the study indicated that there is a disconnection between managerial frameworks of innovation and practitioners’ action and their narratives. Through the viewpoint of sensemaking theory, this study argues that the construction of meaning of innovation is a dynamic process that can be changed constantly over a period of time. In narrating innovation, the practitioners draw on their own real-world experiences of a situation and the characteristics of the organisations which they work in. Moreover, individuals’ stories often are associated with the dominant popular examples of innovation mobilised with the organisational strategic settings and government initiatives in order to provide a shared perspective. This study demonstrates a discursive model of innovation, assigning the individuals’ innovation within an organisation as ‘situational innovation’ and ‘contextual innovation’ and the government report and policy makers’ innovation as ‘rhetorical innovation’. There has been limited application of a narrative approach to innovation in the domain of the construction industry. This thesis has provided theoretical and practical contributions through the application of narrative and innovation within the context of the construction industry. It has also demonstrated the value of the narrative approach to understanding innovation perception within a construction industry context, while identifying its limitations as a research method. The findings of the research further recommend implications for construction industry policy makers. Policy makers can tap into the ‘situational innovation’ and ‘contextual innovation’ to promote government programmes and policies, especially those concerned with change and innovation in the industry.
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Monngakgotla, Oabona C. "Policy makers knowledge and practices of intellectual property rights on indigenous knowledge systems in Botswana." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2007. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07222008-123004/.
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Katoma, Loini-Nyanyukweni. "The implementation of environmental education policy in Namibia: perceptions of a range of decision-makers." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003445.
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This study is the first cycle of an action research project that focuses on the implementation of the Environmental Education Policy in Namibia. Perceptions of Namibian decision-makers were sought with regard to their understanding of the concepts ‘environment’ and ‘environmental education’, as well as to identify environmental problems and obstacles to the implementation of the Environmental Education Policy. The approach of coming up with options to address the identified problems/obstacles/constraints, was employed in this study. To this effect, interviews, a workshop, observations and reflections on the process of implementation resulted in a wealth of data. The findings shed light on possible solutions to address the identified problems and obstacles. The results revealed that community participation, skills development and the proper co-ordination of environmental education activities are imperative in addressing the obvious policy-practice gap. Decision-makers uncovered the fact that the socio-economic situation of our people necessitated pulling our resources together and working as a team. The overall perceptions are that the environment is everyone’s business and that we should zealously use it and carefully guard it, not only for ourselves but also, for the benefit of coming generations.
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Rached, Tarek. "Communicating complexity and informing decision-makers : challenges in the data and computation of environmental benefits of renewable energy." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42933.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2008.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-76).
This thesis contrasts the quantification of avoided emission benefits of renewable generation as determined by a marginal emissions analysis and the methodology specified by the Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Policy and Protocol. Both methodologies are applied to an offshore wind installation that is currently being proposed by the Town of Hull, Massachusetts. The key finding is that the Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Policy undercounts the avoided emissions benefits of the proposed installation by a range of 30%-50%, depending on the emission. Finally, the policy implications of this finding is explored and expounded upon.
Tarek Rached.
S.M.
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Moore, W. S. "The application of the analytic hierarchy process as a decision aid for practitioners and policy makers." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.546339.
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Pikholz, Lynn. "Learning from shack-dwellers : lessons for planners and policy-makers in upgrade projects in South Africa." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/69358.
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Betts, Lewis. "Nuclear belief systems and individual policy-makers : Duncan Sandys, unmanned weaponry, and the impossibility of defence." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2014. https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/56814/.
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This thesis attempts to explore the influence that Duncan Sandys' experiences of the Second World War had on his policy preferences, and policy-making, in relation to British defence policy during his years in government. This is a significant period in British nuclear policy which began with thermonuclear weaponry being placed ostentatiously at the centre of British defence planning in the 1957 Defence White Paper, and ended with the British acquiring the latest American nuclear weapon technology as a consequence of the Polaris Sales Agreement. It also saw intense discussion of the nature and type of nuclear weaponry the British government sought to wield in the Cold War, with attempts to build indigenous land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, and where British nuclear policy was discussed in extreme depth in government. The thesis explores this area by focusing on Duncan Sandys and examining his interaction with prominent aspects of the defence policy-making process. It argues that Sandys sought to navigate his way through this period of uncertainty by drawing heavily upon his experiences of the Second World War, and that this method of policy-making should be seen as a nuclear belief system unique to the individual, and therefore critical in understanding how British policy-makers approached the Cold War at the highest levels of government.
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Burr, Timothy Allen. "Administrators as policy makers of an autonomous government corporation : who manages the United States Postal Service? /." Full-text version available from OU Domain via ProQuest Digital Dissertations, 1985.
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Allen, Anita Kathleen Nyali. "Identifying factors that support or hinder peatland restoration in Scotland." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/28792.
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It is estimated that peatlands cover around 20% of Scotland’s land area. Scotland’s peatlands are important ecosystems in terms of the services they provide; carbon sequestration, water chemistry and flow regulation, biodiversity, as well as for the homes and livelihoods they offer to their inhabitants. Due to historical management practices over 70% of Scotland’s peatlands are damaged to some degree, and are now in need of restoration. The remaining peat bogs need to be conserved. Peatlands are complex landscapes that require good governance in order to be managed fairly and effectively. This thesis sets out to explore the issues surrounding peatland management and offer some recommendations. Workshops were carried out in Dumfries, The Cairngorms, Thurso and Shetland in order to explore how landowners and managers perceived peatlands and peatland restoration and the potential to fund restoration through the Peatland Code Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme. The main findings were; there was confusion over the policy concerning peatlands, landowners and managers felt uncertain of the potential carbon benefits and methods to predict them, the Peatland Code focuses on carbon benefits and landowners and managers cared more about water and wildlife. These findings prompted a more in depth study of the objectives, priorities and values of landowners and managers through the use of qualitative interviews, and a policy analysis to clarify funding options and regulations and to identify potential barriers. Sixty-seven semi-structured interviews were carried out with landowners and managers from the four regions around Scotland. These were analysed in order to find common themes. Many of the interviewees had social and environmental aims for their land, as well as financial aims. There was a very strong sense of care and responsibility for the land, which was linked to heritage, legacy and identity. Communication was poor between different groups (landowners vs crofters, locals vs incomers, landowners and managers vs NGOs, Scientists, Politicians), fostering a sense of discord or antagonism. This lead to a lack of trust and a reluctance to engage with other groups, exacerbating communication issues. Poor communication means that the good environmental intensions of evident from the interviews did not always translate into action. Exceptions to this always involved face-to-face communication, site visits, and a long term relationship allowing the build-up of trust. Policy documents relating to peatlands were reviewed. Findings were presented at a workshop attended by peatland policy experts, in order to identify gaps or misconceptions, which were then addressed. Peatlands do not have their own policy area, but are mentioned in policy related to agriculture, forestry, fresh water and biodiversity. Peatlands are most often mentioned in terms of their carbon sequestration potential. They are poorly integrated in fresh water policy. This shows a mismatch between the interests of policy-makers, and the interests of practitioners, as identified in the workshops. Funding for peatland restoration is limited, restrictive in terms of activities that will be funded, and the application process is onerous. The regulations are poorly communicated leading many to fear they will be penalised for undertaking management that is beneficial to peatlands. There are few policies with the intention of building capacity through information provision or training. The uncertainty surrounding funding options for peatland restoration may discourage contractors from diversifying in this area, leading to a shortage of people with the skills necessary to carry out the work. In all three chapters there is a common thread that the various policies and schemes created in order to facilitate conservation and restoration of peatlands do not adequately harness the feelings of care and responsibility towards the environment that are present in the landowning and managing communities. This is due to poor communication and a misunderstanding of the various perspectives of groups in these areas, leading to sometimes obstructive policies which fall short of their ambitions.
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Qwaka, Prince Siphiwo. "The role of policy management units with particular reference to the PMU in the South African Parliament." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2011. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=gen8Srv25Nme4_1215_1328706690.
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This study seeks to understand and examine the role of public policy units with a specific focus on the South African National Parliament Policy Management Unit (PMU). The problem being investigated is that of a lack of constructive support and debate in understanding the role and functions of policy management units. Thus, the scope of the study is limited to policy management units with the South African Parliament PMU as a special reference. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the role of policy management units, with particular reference to the PMU in the South African Parliament. The secondary objectives will then be to provide a theoretical perspective of the role and functions of policy management units
and to develop a case of the PMU in Parliament for further analysis and examination. Examples of existing policy units and the support they have with parliaments will be produced, assessed, and explored.
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Dranginis, Tracy K. "Balancing approaches : the impact of local decision makers on community economic viability /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 1997. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9841278.
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Connell, Michael. "The Limitations of the Growth of US Army Special Forces and the Implications for US Policy Makers." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2015. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1092.
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This thesis examines the extent to which Army Special Forces can grow in response to policy makers’ increasing demand for Green Berets. With the emergence of hybrid warfare, and the demand for conducting foreign internal defense and unconventional warfare operations worldwide, Special Forces have become increasingly useful for US foreign policy and military operations. Therefore, Special Forces, and its special operations brethren, are growing despite monetary cutbacks to the regular force.
However, there is an extent to which Special Forces can grow, and this paper investigates the limitations inhibiting the growth of Special Forces. Specifically, policy makers and military leaders should consider the time it takes to train a Green Beret, and adhere to the SOF truth “quality is better than quantity.”
Moreover, this paper argues policy makers should focus on utilizing the current number of Green Berets more efficiently, in manners which negates such an extensive growth of USASFC. Such recommendations include prioritizing Special Forces’ foreign internal defense missions by deploying small intelligence teams of specific Special Forces personnel to assess the area of operation prior to a deployment, to provide Special Forces leadership with a “boots on the ground” assessment of the battlefield. These intelligence reports can be utilized by Special Forces leaders and policy makers to prioritize future operations.
My respect for past, present, and future Green Berets transcends what I can articulate in a thesis; however, I submit this thesis in admiration of the men who don the green beret, and deploy in defense of our country.
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Markham, Ben. "Policy-makers and the new world of British Imperialism in the aftermath of the First World War." Thesis, University of Essex, 2016. http://repository.essex.ac.uk/19190/.
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This is a study of British policy-makers and their perceptions of the Empire immediately after the First World War. It explores the post-1918 crises most frequently noted by historians – the nationalist challenges in Ireland, India and Egypt – and demonstrates how policy-makers came to view these challenges as interconnected. It argues, moreover, for the centrality of the Irish situation in shaping the responses of policy-makers to developments in India and Egypt. The thesis also investigates the impact of phenomena such as black nationalism in the West Indies, growing labour militancy in Britain and the Empire, and the politico-religious movement of pan-Islam. Policy-makers saw these as being enmeshed with one another, and frequently attempted to comprehend or explain them as ‘Bolshevik’ intrigue. Whereas nationalist challenges were viewed through an ‘Irish prism’, these phenomena were viewed commonly through a ‘Bolshevik’ one. Additionally, it is stressed that post-war political and socio-economic unrest was seen to be reverberating across areas of traditional British control, such as the Mediterranean, and newer areas, such as the Middle East. Worries about labour unrest, growing nationalisms and movements such as pan-Islam led to a re-shaping of British policy in these regions. The more autonomous parts of the Empire also presented post-war challenges. Increasing Dominion assertiveness meant that Anglo-Dominion relations changed significantly during this period. It is argued that this shaped key aspects of British military and foreign policy, and influenced Britain’s relationships with, notably, Japan and the United States. In the ‘informal’ Empire in South America, meanwhile, policy-makers registered a rapid decline in British influence immediately the War ended and acquiesced to growing American strength there. The major post-war concerns that are identified were not encountered by policy-makers individually. They were powerfully present simultaneously and were perceived in London as an entangled and interconnected challenge to British imperialism.
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Nichols, Lucy, Katherine Abbate, Catherine W. O'Neal, and Mallory Lucier-Greer. "Mobilizing family research: Evaluating current research and disseminating practical implications to families, helping professionals, and policy makers." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2019. https://dc.etsu.edu/secfr-conf/2019/schedule/16.
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In this interactive presentation attendees will learn about processes used to mobilize research into practical applications. Attendees will learn about the five processes used by the Military REACH team to accomplish this goal, which extends beyond the realms of military research (e.g., social science research). The Military REACH team will discuss how research is identified, evaluated, translated, archived, and distributed to families, helping professionals, and policy makers through various avenues. The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate a systematic approach for making research visible and available to those outside of higher education. Foundational to the process utilized is an emphasis on connecting research to intended audiences (families, helping professionals, and policy makers) in a manner that is inviting, easily understood, and meaningful for their everyday context. This emphasis is demonstrated in our processes through the importance placed on identifying and highlighting implications of the research for specific target audiences.
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McIver, Scott Iain. "Conceptualisations of citizenship in Sweden and the United Kingdom : an empirical study and analysis of how 'citizenship' is understood in policy and by policy-makers." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/4031.
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This empirical study identifies and analyses what conceptualisations of citizenship emerge in policy thinking around naturalisation and how these conceptualisations have been articulated in citizenship policy and by policy-makers in the two specific cases of the United Kingdom and Sweden. Understanding citizenship as a bounded membership status the research is grounded in a view of citizenship as having content: rights and duties, ideas of identity, perceived virtues or political values. Employing an interpretive methodology the study closely analyses the central policy documents from the period 1994-2007. It also extensively draws on material from over thirty in-depth elite interviews with policy-makers. These include David Blunkett and Ulrica Messing, the ministers responsible during the development of the key changes to citizenship legislation in the respective countries. In the Swedish case the thesis argues that five conceptualisations form the ideational context in which policy articulations of citizenship take place. Interplaying ideas of integration, equality and belonging are reinforced by conceptualisations of citizenship as about a „welcoming‟ symbolism and as „responding to a global, internationalising context‟. In the UK case five conceptualisations also emerge. A strong interlocking of thinking about integration and belonging provides citizenship policy‟s ideational foundation. Adding depth and complexity to this are ideas about diversity, „common values‟, and the presentation of citizenship acquisition as a „journey‟. The final section of the study analyses and compares the findings from the two specific cases. In considering the policy tone around naturalisation it contrasts the attention given to individual effort in the UK with the accentuation of entitlement in Sweden. It also highlights different conceptual approaches to belonging and its relationship with citizenship; with belonging strongly connected to identity in the UK but to the idea of emotional certainty and security in Sweden. This is argued to reflect distinct beliefs about where evolving ideas about citizenship create demands for change. In Sweden, legislative opening to dual citizenship was conceptualised as a necessary response expected of the state. In the UK, the introduction of citizenship tests was conceptualised as the establishment of a legitimate demand on individuals. Approaches in the two cases are also shown to differ in where emphasis lies in ideas about diversity‟s relationship with citizenship. The UK downplays notions of ethnicity while the Swedish conceptualisation accepts pluralism as the reality of contemporary globalisation.
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Massam, Robert. "Public accountability and the case of the NHS Foundation Trust policy : an exploration of the views and experiences of policy makers, regulators, directors and governors." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2017. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:b44e6fb3-29be-4f49-a6bd-0d671b20fa81.
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Scholars have suggested that reforms associated with a shift from government to governance have fundamentally altered the accountability landscapes of modern welfare states. The promotion of policies in favour of organisational autonomy, coupled with the rise of New Public Management Practices (NPM), have been correlated with the proliferation of innovative, and increasingly hybrid accountability arrangements, which have supplanted, or at the very least, supplemented traditional vertical forms of political accountability. In some contexts, the policies have promoted the role of organisational mechanisms that encourage the public to be involved and to hold their public services to account. While some scholars have emphasised the possibilities, as well as the limitations, associated with the new forms of public accountability, further research is required to critically explore the realities of the processes and the outcomes of such mechanisms. The contribution of this thesis is intended to provide insights into the themes, key issues and tensions which relate to the functioning of direct forms of public accountability in practice. Through drawing on the in-depth case of the NHS Foundation Trust policy, that was passed into law in 2003, and which introduced an innovative direct form of public accountability, this study examines the perspectives and experiences of the directors, the governors, the policy makers and the regulators concerning the implementation of this new mechanism, in one NHS Foundation Trust, in order to analyse the factors which shape the practices of public accountability. The analysis also considers the identified outcomes of the mechanism and it addresses the implications for the conceptualised possibilities and limitations of public accountability. While the approach adopted is, in part, exploratory, the analysis is guided by close reference to current theoretical understandings, drawn from accountability theory, new institutional theory, and organisational and management studies. Through an in-depth analysis the NHS Foundation Trust policy reform, this thesis is intended to make an important contribution to the central debates and to the existing body of knowledge that is defined as accountability scholarship.
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Sabri, Duna. "The assumptive worlds of academics and policy-makers in relation to teaching in a higher education humanities context." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.487521.
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This thesis seeks to make sense of how academics and policy-makers think and act in relation to teaching in higher education. It pursues this inquiry using the concept of assumptive worlds in three contexts - the University of Oxford's History Faculty, the University of Oxford, and the national policy environment - and explores the relationship between them. The concept of assumptive worlds (Young, 1979) Is situated within a new theoretical framework predicated on Giddens' structuration theory. This framework is utilised to analyse assumptive worlds in terms of individuals' knowledgeability which is· expressed in discursive and other kinds of social practice. Assumptive worlds also encompass the meso and macro structures that shape individuals' knowledgeability, and are shaped by it in day-to-day practice at a micro level. An ethnographically-informed case study was conducted over two years in the History Faculty. Its selection is based upon its uniqueness and its potential for illuminating our understanding of the relationship between higher education policy and an extreme end of the spectrum of higher education institutions In England. The i University of Oxford and the national higher education policy environment are investigated as contexts within which the Faculty operates. Interviews with university officers and policy-makers In a range of national agencies, and documentary evidence proVide the data for this investigation. Findings from all three arenas (faculty, university and national) culminate In an analysis of the interplay between their assumptive worlds. The thesis argues that an analysis of the characteristics and formation of assumptive worlds in academia and policy-making throws new light on taken-forgranted practices in teaching and poli~y related to teaching in HE. The concept extends our understanding of each arena within its own terms, and when each is viewed in relation to the others. Engagement, in relation to teaching in higher education, between policymakers, and university officers and academics is rare. An understanding of the assumptive worlds within the three contexts helps to explain why this lack of engagement is recursively produced.
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Makansi, Nora Nader. "The potential utility of an online dental research network from the operspectives of clinicians, researchers, and policy makers /." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=101727.
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Background. An online research network was set up among 11 dentists and 2 researchers in Montreal to test the feasibility of data collection over one year. Objectives. We evaluated the pilot participants' experiences and their perspectives regarding its potential utility. Methods. One-on-one qualitative interviews with 4 researchers, 4 dentists, and 3 policy makers. Interviews were recorded on audiotape and transcribed for coding and interpretation. Results. Although feasibility of data collection was evident in the pilot results; qualitative data revealed the limitations of the pilot, the unmet expectations, and the lack of impact of research findings. In terms of potential utility; the participants expressed interest in research, online communication and continuing education. Qualitative analysis revealed differences in perspectives and shared interests among the participants. Conclusion. An online research network can reduce the gap between research and practice. However, to attract participants, it must consider the needs and expectations of those involved.
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Lee, Shu-pui Timothy, and 李樹培. "Beliefs and attitudes of policy makers and practitioners of integratedteams towards delinquency and the implications on service delivery." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1996. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31978101.
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Ghosh, Hasu. "Diversity, Disparity and Diabetes: Voices of Urban First Nations and Métis People, Health Service Providers and Policy Makers." Thèse, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/24246.
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While previous health research with Aboriginal populations focused almost exclusively on Aboriginal Peoples of First Nations descent living on reserves or in isolated rural communities in Canada, this study focusing on diabetes aimed to engage Aboriginal Peoples of First Nations and Métis descent living in an urban Ontario setting. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a progressive metabolic disorder that affects Aboriginal Peoples of Métis and First Nations descent disproportionately compared to the rest of the Canadian population. To understand this disparity in diabetes incidence and to address issues with existing diabetes prevention and management strategies, this study: a) explores the perceptions surrounding Type 2 diabetes and its prevention from First Nations and Métis community people and health service providers and policy makers; and b) informs the existing diabetes prevention, management and care strategies in light of these perceived understandings. Primary data was collected through 40 in-depth one-on-one narrative interviews with First Nations and Métis people, health service providers and policy makers. Thematic codes that emerged through the narrative analysis of this data revealed that to fully understand the social determinants of diabetes in an urban First Nations and Métis people’s context required the application of intersectionality theory, since production of First Nations and Métis diabetes is socially determined and deeply intersectional. By combining the concepts of the social determinants of health and intersectional approaches, narrative analysis of the primary data revealed that diversities in socio-economic, cultural, legal and spatial contexts determine First Nations and Métis people’s life choices and have a strong bearing on their health outcomes. First Nations and Métis participants’ narratives revealed that dimensions of marginalization were reflected not only through inadequate material resources, but also through intersections of multiple factors such as colonial legacies, stereotyping, legal statuses, and the pan-Aboriginal nature of government policies and services. First Nations and Métis community members indicated that preventive programming aimed at avoiding or managing diabetes should be grounded in balancing and restoring the positive aspects of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health and should also balance their diverse needs, lived realities, and social circumstances. The views of health service providers and policy makers captured in this thesis tended to reflect an understanding of diabetes causation grounded in both biomedical and intersecting social determinants of health. At the pragmatic level, however, the solution to this health issue presented by health service providers and policy makers addresses only the measurable individualistic biomedical risk factors of diabetes. Policy makers also discussed the need for developing qualitative indicators of the success of presently implemented health programs.
Overall, the results of this study indicated that effective diabetes prevention and management strategies for urban First Nations and Métis people must recognize and address the diversities in their historical, socio-economic, spatial and legal contexts as well as their related entitlement to health services. A comprehensive diabetes prevention strategy should target the social determinants of health that are specific to urban First Nations and Métis people and must build on community strengths.
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James, Leslie Charles. "The Interpretations of the Concept of "Inclusion" Held by Key Policy Makers, Policy Drivers and Policy Implementers Concerned with Service Delivery to Special Education Students in Texas Urban Public School Settings." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1997. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277838/.
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The purpose of this study was to examine concepts of "inclusion" held by policy drivers (PD), policy makers (PM) and policy implementers (PI) from various national organizations, state agencies and school districts. Interviews were conducted with 14 informants, and responses recorded, transcribed and clustered according to patterns of language. Documents provided by informants were reviewed. A Likert-type questionnaire was developed, grounded in patterns of language used in interviews and documents. Descriptive and inferential statistics identified variance between and within groups. Of 430 questionnaires sent, 266 were returned. Factor analysis of 29 items yielded 5 factors (definition of inclusion, training and support, receptivity, benefits/barriers, and prerequisites). One way analysis of variance, tests for homogeneity and multiple range tests were performed. Patterns of understanding of inclusion were clarified, and interpretations and conclusions were drawn. Significant variance was found among PD, PM, and PI on 3 of 5 factors (benefits/barriers, prerequisites, receptivity) with the greatest variance being between PD and PI. The most significant variance among 8 school districts occurred with factor 1 (benefits/barriers of inclusion). Informants' degree of support for inclusion was frequently not reflective of the organizations they represented. All groups associated inclusion with attitudes and beliefs, rather than with actions or programs. By describing patterns of definitions and critical attributes of inclusion, the development and implementation of educational policy relating to students with disabilities may be facilitated. Observed variations in how inclusion is philosophically and operationally defined may play a critical role in the implementation of inclusionary practices. The language used by informants reflects barriers to successful implementation of inclusion, as well as possible solutions. Variance between policy drivers, policy makers and policy implementers, as well as between individuals and their respective organizations may have implications for the evolution and development of educational policy.
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Thake, Anne Marie. "A critical review of graduate employability skills : lessons from the Maltese experience." Thesis, University of Bath, 2017. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.720653.
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This study examines how institutional actors interpret, influence and respond to skills availability in the labour market for graduates. It researches and draws lessons from the Maltese experience of managing graduate employability over three decades, focusing on the three fastest-growing economic sectors, namely, Accountancy, Pharmachem and ICT, each of which is the subject of a case study. The study investigates the interaction of governments, firms, higher education institutions and professional associations in identifying skills shortages and gaps, as well as in devising policy frameworks and skills regimes at national, sectoral and corporate levels. Drawing upon theories of employability and employee skills, first, there is development of an analytical framework to examine how these institutional actors affect the labour market, which informs the analysis of the three case studies. The qualitative research involved an interpretative analysis of key policy documents related to graduate employability and seventy in-depth interviews with interlocutors positioned in strategic policy making, senior management, academic, expert and professional leadership roles within government, regulators, major corporations, higher education institutions, training providers and professional associations. The data was thematically analysed. Twelve key themes emerged from the in-depth interviews, which included the following: use of different language; the meaning of employability; the value of credentials; the role of the University; perceptions; expectations; competitiveness; modes of training provision; labour mobility; placements and incentives; collaboration and skills gap. The institutional actors across the three focal sectors, namely, accountancy, pharmachem and ICT tended to emphasise some themes more than others, these having previously been identified in scholarly literature (Appendix 1). Both patterns and inconsistencies emerged from a comparison of the accountancy, pharmachem and ICT sectors. In so far as the labour market is concerned, the study revealed a lack of technical skills and major non-technical graduate skills gaps, specifically, in the aspects of communication, teamwork and problem-solving. A number of professional characteristics or behaviours were also identified as lacking with Accountancy, Pharmachem and ICT graduates, namely, attitude, confidence, drive, professional outlook, independent working, personality fit and a ‘can do’ approach. The study revealed the absence of permanent systemic connections between the formulation of national and sectoral economic strategies on the one hand, and higher education and training policies on the other. Consequently, state higher education institutions have been responding reactively to labour market needs, which could explain the endemic skills gap which the study found. The study concludes by discussing limitations and limits to this research as well as recommending policy initiatives and further research that could contribute to the science and practice of public policy in this field.
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Albadir, Anfal Fouad. "Investigating the skills-gap in the Kuwaiti labour market : perspectives from policy makers, employers, graduates, and higher educational institutions." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2014. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/investigating-the-skillsgap-in-the-kuwaiti-labour-market-perspectives-from-policy-makers-employers-graduates-and-higher-educational-institutions(f7278087-8e85-403a-be77-39fc3c44c31a).html.
Full textAbstract:
Immediately after the discovery of oil, the State of Kuwait put in place a plan for massive economic and social development for its people. This proposed plan required sophisticated labour skills to implement development requirements. However, over the years the country has continued to witness a labour market imbalance due to an inadequate supply of graduate skills that did not satisfy the demand from its workplace. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mismatch between outputs from higher education and labour market requirements. The present study employed a mixed approach to address its main research questions. It applied a quantitative approach using questionnaires prepared for graduates currently working and employers from both the public and private sector. It also utilized a qualitative approach using interviews with stakeholders in the labour market such as higher education personnel and policy makers. The literature review provided an overview of educational objectives and their relation to economic, social, and human resource development. It also looked at the nature of the relationship between higher educational institutions and the labour market, as well as providing some examples of the labour market gap around the world. The key findings indicated that higher educational institutions faced problems with regard to their role in the provision of knowledge and skills. The study found that employers believe that the quality of education provided by the institutions is low. Similarly, the study found that employers believe that the communication amongst stakeholders in the education system is not effective. In addition, employers reckoned that the main factors influencing graduates’ quality of education were the lack of skills, lack of motivation and weak communication. Similarly, graduates believed that the main factors influencing their quality of education were lack of skills, as well as overestimating job privileges and area of study. Furthermore, graduates satisfaction with their current jobs was influenced by many factors; such as low-quality education, disappointment with career development, source of skills, area of study, and gender. In fact, the literature identified the low quality of education as the main cause of the skills-gap worldwide, while it had always valued communication for closing the skills-gap. This study has confirmed that there is an imbalance within the Kuwaiti labour market. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed in the concluding chapter of the thesis.