Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Biliana Cicin-Sain, College of Marine and Earth Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis is concerned with communication in interprofessional practice, an issue which is identified as a ‘difficulty’ but ‘essential’ in the literature. The research is based on a case study focusing on the communication between professionals in a series of planning meetings held to support the transition of a child with additional support needs from playgroup into the nursery class of a primary school in Scotland. The study explores the dynamics and complexities of communication through the theoretical frameworks of ethnography of communication and Dewey’s concept of communication as participative action. This joint analysis illustrates the way in which the group worked together to make something in common and the extent of commonality that was needed for them to work actively together. The findings show the interprofessional group functioning as a speech community with a bounding feature of working with the child. The soft-shell of this community illustrates a flexibility of practice and the ability of the group to expand or contract to meet the needs of the child and family. The way in which the participants worked together to agree the outcomes they were working towards is an illustration of Deweyan communication, making something in common between them. This process included the recognition of the competence and responsibility of individual professions. The study demonstrates that the doctors who were members of the interprofessional group were recognised as holding more power than the other members of the group and were bound by the outcomes and procedures of their own profession. This difference affected the dynamics of communication within the interprofessional team. The findings add to our understanding of the complexities of communication in an interprofessional team and show that communication in a Deweyan sense can strengthen the work of an interprofessional group and develop their support for the child or family they are working with.

Thesis (M.S. in Defense Analysis)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2010. / Thesis Advisor(s): Jansen, Erik ; Second Reader: Giordano, Frank. "June 2010." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 15, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: Police expeditionary capacities; counterinsurgency; gendarmeries; paramilitary organizations; executive policing; population centric operations; mathematical modeling; game theory; interagency cooperation; stabilization and reconstruction operations; irregular warfare; security force assistance. Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-58). Also available in print.

The primary providers of services to Texas children with emotional/behavioral issues are local juvenile probation departments, Texas Youth Commission, Department of Family and Protective Services, local Mental Health Authorities, and school districts. These agencies currently face a variety of issues that impede their ability to deliver effective services. Responses to these issues have included narrowing eligibility criteria and imposing limits on the number of clients served at one time. Unfortunately, many of the individuals who need assistance are unable to access services and eventually find themselves in other less appropriate systems, such as foster care and juvenile justice. This is especially true for rural areas, which often lack the resources found in urban counties. Many believe the solution involves closing the “gaps” in services through interorganizational relationships. However, cooperative efforts require a substantial amount of commitment, time, effort and resources. More often than not, this is a difficult endeavor, especially given the barriers to rural service delivery, funding issues, and state level issues. Concept Mapping was employed to identify and assess the impact of factors that affect service providers’ ability to engage in interorganizational relationships, as well as deliver services to children who are at risk of or possess emotional/behavioral issues. The primary providers of services to Texas children with emotional/behavioral issues are local juvenile probation departments, Texas Youth Commission, Department of Family and Protective Services, local Mental Health Authorities, and school districts. These agencies currently face a variety of issues that impede their ability to deliver effective services. Responses to these issues have included narrowing eligibility criteria and imposing limits on the number of clients served at one time. Unfortunately, many of the individuals who need assistance are unable to access services and eventually find themselves in other less appropriate systems, such as foster care and juvenile justice. This is especially true for rural areas, which often lack the resources found in urban counties. Many believe the solution involves closing the “gaps” in services through interorganizational relationships. However, cooperative efforts require a substantial amount of commitment, time, effort and resources. More often than not, this is a difficult endeavor, especially given the barriers to rural service delivery, funding issues, and state level issues. Concept Mapping was employed to identify and assess the impact of factors that affect service providers’ ability to engage in interorganizational relationships, as well as deliver services to children who are at risk of or possess emotional/behavioral issues. / text

CVE is complex. It requires combatting the narratives and ideology of many extremist groups around the globe, constructing environments with appealing alternatives to extremism, and most importantly, sensitivity to the variety of circumstances in which CVE takes place to effectively battle the root causes of extremism. Constructing a complete CVE effort thus requires a great variety of skills, coordinated to efficient implementation. Despite notional commitment, U.S. CVE abroad lacks interagency coordination. JIATF-S offers a strong model of interagency coordination, from which lessons may be applied to the formation of an interagency CVE effort. Interagency coordination would bring extensive expertise and resources to bear on CVE operations.

The September 11 terrorist attacks pointed out the lack of information sharing between law enforcement agencies as a potential threat to sound law enforcement in the United States. Therefore, many law enforcement agencies as well as the federal government have been initiating information sharing systems among law enforcement agencies to eradicate the information sharing problem. One of the systems established by Homeland Security is the North Central Texas Fusion Center (NCTFC). This study evaluates the NCTFC by utilizing user acceptance methodology. The unified theory of acceptance and the use of technology is used as a theoretical framework for this study. Within the study, user acceptance literature is examined and various models and theories are discussed. Furthermore, a brief information regarding the intelligence work done by law enforcement agencies are explained. In addition to the NCTFC, several major law enforcement information systems are introduced. The data for this study comes from the users of the NCTFC across the north central Texas region. Surveys and interviews are used to triangulate data. It is found in this study that performance expectancy and effort expectancy are important indicators of system use. Furthermore, outreach and needs assessment are important factors in establishing systems. The results of the study offer valuable input for NCTFC administrators, law enforcement officials, and future researchers.

This research is an examination of the practical application of intergovernmental relations (IGR) and co-operative government at the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM)’s Department of Housing and Human Settlements. By use of questionnaire and direct interviews, the research extracted responses from methodically selected employees and officials at the Department of Housing and Human Settlements in the CTMM. Literature study was combined with document analysis and a part of participant observation to gather data and information that has been examined and analysed in the study that has established the need for training and skilling for officials and employees in financial and project management. The need for the rolling back of political interference, regular review of legislation to keep abreast with the changing environment and international standards and improved institutional communication are but some of the observations and arguments that the research has established from a careful reading of data gathered. The enabling policies, laws and regulations that are in place remain largely good on paper, but still limited in their practical application. It is argued in this research that housing and human settlements are a provision that is central in the democratic and development life of the Republic of South Africa, and that the provision of sustainable human settlements enriches the livelihoods of communities in so far as other services such as education, recreation, health care, electricity, economic opportunities, safety, transport and communication are also dependent on the availability of sustainable human settlements and the amenities that comes with it. It is the recommendation of the present research that if the policies, regulations, laws and goals that govern the IGR towards the delivery of sustainable human settlements are to achieve maximum fruition, there is a need for vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that will ensure that budgets are efficiently used, that standing decisions are implemented and that partisan politics and corruption and opportunistic tendencies are eliminated as these hinder performance and delivery. / Public Administration / MPA

Thesis (Master of Strategic Studies) -- Army War College, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed Aug. 20, 2008). "8 March 2006"--P. [iii]. "ADA449254"--URL. Includes bibliographical references (p. 15-22). Also issued in paper format.

Thesis (Master of Military Studies)-Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Feb 2, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

This research is an examination of the practical application of intergovernmental relations (IGR) and co-operative government at the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM)’s Department of Housing and Human Settlements. By use of questionnaire and direct interviews, the research extracted responses from methodically selected employees and officials at the Department of Housing and Human Settlements in the CTMM. Literature study was combined with document analysis and a part of participant observation to gather data and information that has been examined and analysed in the study that has established the need for training and skilling for officials and employees in financial and project management. The need for the rolling back of political interference, regular review of legislation to keep abreast with the changing environment and international standards and improved institutional communication are but some of the observations and arguments that the research has established from a careful reading of data gathered. The enabling policies, laws and regulations that are in place remain largely good on paper, but still limited in their practical application. It is argued in this research that housing and human settlements are a provision that is central in the democratic and development life of the Republic of South Africa, and that the provision of sustainable human settlements enriches the livelihoods of communities in so far as other services such as education, recreation, health care, electricity, economic opportunities, safety, transport and communication are also dependent on the availability of sustainable human settlements and the amenities that comes with it. It is the recommendation of the present research that if the policies, regulations, laws and goals that govern the IGR towards the delivery of sustainable human settlements are to achieve maximum fruition, there is a need for vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that will ensure that budgets are efficiently used, that standing decisions are implemented and that partisan politics and corruption and opportunistic tendencies are eliminated as these hinder performance and delivery. / Public Administration and Management / MPA