Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Many authors, critics, and policy makers question the presence of a unified grand strategy with which the United States has striven toward in recent years. This is a topic worthy of pursuit since such a strategy is responsible for identifying how this nation intends to accomplish its goals. This thesis defines what, if any, grand strategy the United States is currently pursuing. It observes several prominent theories of grand strategy, from both the realist and liberal perspectives. This analysis is set in context of historical grand strategy decisions since World War II and uses the framework of Taiwan as the case study. The thesis then compares the three theories, Selective Engagement, Offshore Balancing, and the Liberal Milieu and their recommendations to real-world activities of the United States with a focus primarily on military deployments and national objectives. The study reveals that of the three in question, the Liberal Milieu grand strategy is the only one that is supported by ongoing deployments in the East Asia region as well as by the national rhetoric which define our policy objectives.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The 2008 global economic crisis marks the beginning of considerable systemic changes in global governance. The ‘Group of 20’ (G20), which entered the centre stage of global governance in response to the crisis, may be seen as both a result of and as a vehicle for those changes. Representing some 85 per cent of the global economy the group has the potential to alter the international order almost by stealth. Hence, there is good reason for undertaking a deeper examination of its role in and impact on global governance. This study critically examines some of the changes in global governance embodied – and brought about – by the G20. By using analytical tools from the critical theory of Robert Cox and constructivism, it studies changes in three dimensions of global governance: the material, the institutional and the ideational, so as to achieve a holistic understanding of the nature of the changes taking place within global governance. In so doing, the study sheds light on the role of the G20 in global governance, the impact of the group on global cooperation and the nature of the shift in global governance that it represents. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die 2008 globale ekonomiese krisis kan as die begin van aansienlike sistemiese veranderinge in globale regeerkunde beskou word. Die 'Groep van 20' (G20), wat in reaksie op die krisis ’n sentrale rol in globale regeerkunde ingeneem het, kan as beide 'n resultaat en drywer van hierdie veranderinge gesien word. Die groep verteenwoordig ongeveer 85 persent van die globale ekonomie, en het dus die potensiaal om grootskaalse verandering in die internasionale orde te weeg te bring. Dit is dus belangrik om die groep se rol in globale regeerkunde meer deeglik te ondersoek. Deur gebruik te maak van analitiese metodes wat gebasseer is op die kritiese teorie van Robert Cox asook konstruktivisme, ondersoek hierdie studie veranderinge in drie dimensies van globale regeerkunde. Materiële en institusionele veranderinge, asook veranderinge binne die dimensie van idees, word geïdentifiseer met die oog op 'n meer holistiese begrip van die aard van die veranderinge. Die studie werp daardeur lig op die rol van die G20 in globale regeerkunde, die groep se impak op globale samewerking, en die aard van die magsverskuiwing in globale regeerkunde wat dit verteenwoordig.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Policies made by the government of a democratic country affect the lives of all citizens whether directly or indirectly. Policies should therefore represent the values of a democratic society. Since South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, policymaking processes have promised to be everything that those in the past were not. The new government's ruling policy has promised to maximize opportunities for political participation, especially in terms of citizens being able to influence governmental decision making in cases where it affects their lives. The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act of 1999 is regarded by many as one of the world's most controversial and regulated tobacco control policies. What makes this case exceptional is the fact that the policy process thereof seems to have caused some concern with regard to issues such as transparency, participation and consultation. The study, therefore, aims to establish the degree of political participation and consultation that one could observe in the making of the new tobacco law. It also gives an overview of what the policy-making process in general is like in South Africa; this is then compared with the case of the Tobacco Amendment Act. The study also focuses on broader aspects of the policy process such as the role of public policy with regard to the problems of the society. This research assignment is intent on describing the nature of the policy process of the Tobacco Amendment Bill and, by doing this, to promote the principles of democracy such as transparency, accountability and legitimacy, to which so many South Africans have dedicated their lives / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Openbare beleid en die daarmee gepaardgaande besluite wat deur die regering van 'n demokratiese land gemaak word, affekteer die lewens van elke burger direk of indirek. Beleid moet dus so geformuleer word dat dit die waardes van 'n demokratiese samelewing reflekteer. Sedert Suid-Afrika se oorgang tot demokrasie in 1994, was die nuwe regering se belofte dat beleidmaking meer inklusief sal wees as die van die verlede. Die nuwe bedeling se regeringsbeleid sou daarvolgens optimale geleenthede vir politieke deelname en seggenskap in belangrike beleidsbesluite skep. Die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte van 1999 word deur vele beskou as een van die mees kontroversiële en streng beheerde tabak beleide in die wêreld. Wat die geval so besonder maak, is die feit dat daar diegene is wat meen dat kwessies soos deursigtigheid, politieke deelname en konsultasie in die parlementêre beleidsproses agterweë gelaat is. Hierdie studie beoog dus om die mate van politieke deelname en konsultasie in die beleidsproses van die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte ondersoek. Die studie verskaf ook 'n oorsig oor hoe die algemene beleidsproses in Suid-Afrika daar uitsien. Dit word dan vervolgens vergelyk met die beleidsproses van die nuwe Tabakwet. Verder fokus dit ook op wyer aspekte van die beleidsproses soos die rol wat openbare beleid in die aanspreek van publieke probleme speel. In geheel, poog dit dus om die aard van die beleidsproses van die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte te beskryf en sodoende die beginsels van demokrasie, onder andere deursigtigheid, verantwoordbaarheid en legimiteit, waaraan so baie Suid-Afrikaners hul lewens toegewy het, te bevorder.

Submitted by Elba Lopes (elba.lopes@fecap.br) on 2016-05-04T20:57:57Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Rubens_Santanna_Junior.pdf: 651868 bytes, checksum: 37ccb1fbac0e554051327465270028f3 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-04T20:57:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Rubens_Santanna_Junior.pdf: 651868 bytes, checksum: 37ccb1fbac0e554051327465270028f3 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-10-30 / We examine with an empirical study the hypothesis that the IT Deployment Capabilities impacts are positively associated with competitive advantage in Brazilian companies. The study uses the conceptual research model proposed by Tian et al. (2009). As part of this study, some of the main theoretical concepts of Resource Based View are reviewed, establishing a link between these concepts and the explanation about competitive advantage. The three constructs that set up the IT Deployment Capabilities are identified and investigated: Strategic Flexibility Partnership Business and Business Alignment. This is a descriptive exploratory research with a quantitative approach. The data collection instrument answered by the employees was a survey with a 7-point Likert scale available through Electronic Link on the Internet, using the website Survey Monkey. The study used public or private companies, national or international companies headquartered in Brazil as criteria for population, within various segments, and sample included the following functions: CEOs and Directors, Managers and Coordinators working at Information Technology areas in their companies. 320 e-mails were sent, yielding 192 responses. Of these 108 were selected as surveys with the desired research profile. To provide validation to the study, a statistical tool validation was used performing exploratory factor analysis tests (FAT) and multiple linear regression (MLR). The results showed that the constructs Strategic Flexibility and Business Partnership are positively associated with the perception of the impact of information technology competitive advantage, while the construct Business Alignment had no significant results to corroborate the studies by Tian et al. (2009) in Chinese companies. / O principal objetivo deste trabalho ?? examinar, com um estudo emp??rico, se os impactos da Capacidade Implanta????o-TI est??o positivamente associados ?? vantagem competitiva nas empresas brasileiras. O estudo utiliza o modelo conceitual de pesquisa proposto por Tian et al. (2009). Como partes deste estudo s??o revistos, dentre eles alguns dos principais conceitos te??ricos da Vis??o Baseada em Recursos, estabelece-se um elo entre esses conceitos e a explica????o da vantagem competitiva, identificando-se e investigando-se os tr??s constructos que comp??em a Capacidade Implanta????o-TI: Flexibilidade Estrat??gica, Parceria de Neg??cio e Alinhamento do Neg??cio. Trata-se de uma pesquisa explorat??ria descritiva, com uma abordagem quantitativa. O instrumento de coleta de dados empregado foi um Survey, utilizando-se a escala Likert com 7 pontos de Link eletr??nico, dispon??vel na Internet atrav??s do site Monkey Survey. O estudo utilizou como crit??rio de popula????o empresas nacionais ou internacionais sediadas no Brasil, de capital aberto ou fechado, e seus diversos segmentos, sendo que a amostra envolveu as fun????es de: CEOs, Diretores, Gerentes e Coordenadores que estavam ligados ?? ??rea de Tecnologia da Informa????o nas empresas onde colaboram. Foram enviados 320 e-mails, obtendo-se 192 respostas. Desse total, foram selecionadas 108 respostas com o perfil desejado da pesquisa. Para proporcionar garantia ao estudo, foi utilizado o instrumento estat??stico de valida????o, no qual foram realizados os testes de an??lise fatorial explorat??ria (AFE) e regress??es lineares m??ltiplas (RLM). Os resultados mostraram que os constructos Flexibilidade Estrat??gica e Parceria de Neg??cio est??o positivamente associados ?? percep????o dos impactos da Tecnologia da Informa????o na vantagem competitiva, enquanto o constructo Alinhamento do Neg??cio n??o apresentou resultados significativos, corroborando os estudos realizados por Tian et al. (2009) nas empresas chinesas.

The purpose of this study was to analyze ways in which the roles of instructional support staff as perceived by principals and instructional support staff members in a large, suburban school district have been affected by the implementation of site-based decision making (SBDM). Research questions focused on changes which have occurred in the roles of instructional support staff and in the services provided to schools by support staff since the implementation of SBDM, the roles which support staff members believe they have in SBDM, the perceptions of principals regarding the roles of instructional support staff in SBDM, and a comparison of the views of instructional support staff and principals regarding the district's implementation of SBDM.

The focus of this research project was to evaluate individual stakeholder perceptions of the implementation of Structured Decision Making (SDM) as a tool in risk assessment of elder abuse/neglect case referrals in Riverside County Adult Protective Services (APS). The researchers interviewed ten social workers from Riverside County APS, from line workers up to Deputy Director. Constructivist theory was used to develop a joint construct which indicated that the primary benefit of SDM was consistency. Consistency resulted in safety and proctection of the client, social worker and the agency.

Today companies are competing on the basis of what they know, how fast they learn it, and how well they use what they learn. At the heart of this knowledge-based competition lie knowledge and even more important intelligence. Competitive Intelligence, as a discipline, is increasingly being viewed as a critical enabler to reach competitive advantage. Previous research, however, suggest that South African com¬panies showed a general lack of appropriate pro¬cesses or structures for competitive intelligence compared to their international counterparts. The research aims to demonstrate, through a case study, how the theoretical concepts associated with competitive intelligence can be translated into practice so as to ensure efficient and cost effective competitive intelligence practices and thus contribute to the future success of competitive intelligence programmes in South Africa. / Information Science / M. Inf.

Recommendations have been given in the areas of teachers, the subject and the school according to the data collected in the study. Teachers need to change their attitude towards the use of course books, otherwise, a comprehensive degree (i.e., breadth and depth) of curriculum decision making is hard to be developed. The subject team should utilize the common planning period more effectively by designating targets and developing a work routine. It is also crucial to establish a harmonious working relationship within the team while the panel chairperson is required to lead a professional role. Teachers' professional developments should go hand-in-hand with curriculum development and more efforts should be focused on integrating scattered strengths into the team. At school level, more support should be given to curriculum decision making policy and its culture. Moreover, more professional development opportunities should be provided. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / The New Edition of the Chinese Language Curriculum was introduced in all secondary schools in September 2002. Major features of the reform cultivate the migration from a single model passage to a more holistic teaching unit, teaching focus has switched from just reading and writing to comprehensive aspects of speaking, reading, listening and writing. While the role of a teacher has shifted from dominating to facilitating, the role of the students has shifted from a passive receptor to an active learner. The aim of language teaching has changed from imparting language knowledge to cultivating generic skills. As a whole, the New Edition of the Chinese Language Curriculum has extended the work scope of the teachers in their curriculum and teaching decision making. For instance, they are able to adjust the course books according to the circumstances of the school. Adjusting the course books or developing school specific teaching resources is a complicated task which requires co-operation and creative input of the teachers. With this in mind, some schools have started the reform of the Chinese Language subject by allocating a common planning period, making room for the teachers to increase their opportunities in curriculum input and decision making. / The present research started in the second year after the introduction of the New Edition of the Chinese Language Curriculum. By applying qualitative research methods, five schools were chosen as case studies, with the teachers of Secondary One as research target, to explore the state of teachers' participation in the curriculum decision making, to understand how the curriculum decisions were made within a subject team, and to investigate the factors influencing the decision making. The data was collected via interviews, participatory observations and document analysis. / The study has concluded six points. (1) Sparing a common planning period by schools cannot guarantee the quality of curriculum decision making. (2) Teachers' degree of understanding towards the curriculum affects their decision making on curriculum content. (3) Teachers' viewpoints on course books will affect their decision making on curriculum content too. (4) The sense of co-operation determines the degree of contribution and involvement by the teacher in the curriculum decision making. (5) The leadership and co-ordination of a panel chairperson is crucial to cultivate a harmonious working relationship between team members. (6) The factors affecting a school are inter-related. / The study reveals that at present, schools have not carried out any restructuring because of individual subject reforms. The common planning period in certain schools is merely the subject policy, not a unified policy in the school. While it has contributed to the significant opportunity for teachers to participate in curriculum decision making, the policy cannot guarantee the quality of the decisions. There are a few fundamental issues which determine whether a curriculum decision making can be developed to a profound and extensive degree. The teachers must be well prepared for the new curriculum by having participated in the pilot program organized by the Education and Manpower Bureau at the time; the subject team must use the common planning period effectively by developing a work routine, and by distributing responsibilities among teachers in the team to make sure that they are engaged and able to contribute; the subject teaching attribution should focus on and reflect the needs of the students as well as the implementation of changes in the curriculum to improve teaching; and lastly, in addition to providing teachers with a common planning period, the school also needs to allocate more resources in the theme of policy making, such as flexible timetables and on-going professional development opportunities. If these factors are missing in the academic subject, teachers will rely heavily on course books and when dealing with curriculum content decision making, they will seldom consider other elements, such as teaching methodology and teaching activities, in a curriculum. / 高慕蓮. / Adviser: Lee Chi Kin. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: A, page: 0787. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 489-508). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Gao Mulian.

楊鑫. / "2013年9月". / "2013 nian 9 yue". / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 334-362). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in Chinese and Englisha. / Yang Xin.

"July 2002." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 420-466). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.