The purpose of this study was to examine the dynamics of conflict escalation by systematically testing a number of hypotheses which have filtered through much of the theoretical literature on conflict within the context of the Lebanese Civil War using an events data approach. In addition to the theoretical questions of escalation, a historical descriptive analysis of the civil war was provided to complement the quantitative/analytical aspects of the discussion. Hence, the objectives of the study were twofold: first, to fill the descriptive void of what little information there is about the Lebanese Civil War and second, to test theoretical propositions about the dynamics of conflict escalation. / The theoretical topics--each of which constituted a chapter in the dissertation--encompassed explanations which: (1) specified links between governmental repression/coercion and political violence; (2) examined the links between internal strife and external intervention; and (3) identified and described crisis behavior. The more outstanding empirical results yielded the information outlined in the thesis text. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-11, Section: A, page: 4925. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

This research compared bank employee training programs in two countries--the United States and Iran. It also examined managerial perceptions regarding selected training programs, and the existing and desired level of training practices. The objectives were to facilitate the training and staff development programs within the banking industry, and to highlight the weaknesses of the present programs. / The study was conducted in two phases: (a) an exploratory research effort, and (b) data collection using a questionnaire sent to a selected sample of 33 banks in the two countries. For data analysis, appropriate SPSS programs were used. / The findings indicated that in terms of leadership perceptions, bank trainers in both countries preferred relationship behavior patterns (two-way communication) over task behavior patterns (one-way communication). They also agreed that determination of employees' maturity level was important for selecting an appropriate leadership style. In operational patterns, bank trainers in both countries supported employees' participation and involvement in planning and implementing the programs, in group decision making, in sharing information, and mutual commitment and subtlety. / Data analysis showed that in each of the 33 respondent banks, training programs were planned according to some philosophy from which clearly formulated goals and objectives were derived. These goals were achieved through functions and factors, some of which were more important than others for different banks. However, there were similarities and dissimilarities in planning and implementing training programs in the responding banks in the two countries. There was also some similarity between present and desired practices in both countries' bank training programs. Additionally, the data revealed that planners/designers and implementors of bank employee training programs in both countries do not give very much consideration to participants' knowledge, maturation, growth, or development regarding what their leadership perceptions are. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 1079. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

This study compares the utility of three approaches to international relations (i.e., realism, dependencia, and interdependence) in explaining contemporary interstate trade in arms. It delineates the West European-Arabian Gulf arms trade connection from 1970 to 1987. It considers the theoretical framework of interdependence as an appropriate application for explaining this relationship. / Two research methods are applied to investigate Europe's arms sales policy to the Gulf from an interdependence perspective. First, a theoretical approach is used to explore the overall mutual relations between the two blocs based on the main premises of interdependence. It is argued that this theory yields more positive results than realism and dependencia when applied to the reciprocal relationship between Europe and the Gulf states. / Second, four hypotheses were operationalized to investigate the Euro-Gulf arms trade as a manifestation of an interdependent relationship between the two sides. The analysis of data concerning European arms flow to the Gulf region during the last two decades yielded results in favor of the features of interdependence between the two parties. / The findings of this study suggest that European arms sales to the Gulf region can be explained based on the developments in the oil market associated with the Arab-Israeli conflict during the 1970s. The study also indicates a noteworthy rapprochement between Western Europe and the Arab Gulf countries in the military sector during the present decade. This suggests a favorable European response to the creation of the GCC and its new defense strategy. / The general conclusion is that Western Europe's foreign policy in the Arabian Gulf, as measured through its arms sales behavior, likely reflects the continent's attitudes toward certain developments within and outside that region in the last two decades. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-08, Section: A, page: 2638. / Major Professor: James Lee Ray. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

Foreign trade strategies and economic performance of twenty-eight middle-income countries are examined for the period 1973-85. Three perspectives are presented to explain their experiences: the export-led growth model, dependency theory, and rent-seeking theory. It was found that rapid economic growth and a higher physical quality of life are associated with outward-oriented strategies. Outward-oriented countries consistently perform better than inward-oriented ones, whether they have weak or strong rent-seeking groups. However, the NICs that achieved the highest growth rates by following a strongly outward-oriented trade policy, such as South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, have benefited from the unusual convergence of a variety of forces and circumstances such as political stability; long-term commitment to the strategy; holistic implementation of the strategy; requisite labor skills; an industrial base; adequate infrastructure; manageable labor costs; right market size, etc. Countries that adopt the export-led growth strategy without meeting these conditions (e.g. Brazil, Turkey) may be faced with problems of distributional inequality even if they may achieve high growth rates. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-09, Section: A, page: 2800. / Major Professor: James Lee Ray. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

The present study examines the voting behavior of the first-directly elected European Parliament. The main question of the research is how did the Members or the European Parliament vote during the first term of the Parliament. Did they follow their nation's or their political group's guidelines? The first directly elected Parliament included 434 deputies from ten members of the European Community. These members belonged to seven different political groups. The roll-call votes of the first term (1979-1984) provides the basis for this study. The analysis is done by using two methodological techniques: factor analysis and Multiple Classification Analysis. / The research has revealed that this multi-ethnic and relatively new institution has taken seriously its role. Despite the bad press coverage that has received, the European Parliament has demonstrated that is a parliament in the making. Its members voted most of the time as a political group and not as national group. These findings suggest that if the European Parliament is delegated additional powers will become a legitimate and a more responsible institution. In addition the study implies that if the EP becomes more powerful there is going to be a further integration of the European Community. The Parliament provides the basis for legitimacy of the EC because it is the only of the four institutions that is democratically elected by the European citizens. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4265. / Major Professor: Russell Dalton. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

There are many factors (internal/external) that affect the foreign policy of states. The main task of this study was to investigate the effect of one of these--the leader's values and beliefs--to answer the question: Is it possible to forecast the state's behavior by knowing the leader's articulated values? / With Libya as a case study, the focus was on the effect of Colonel Qaddafi's values on Libyan foreign policy toward Chad, Ethiopia, and the Sudan. Three methodological procedures were applied. First, in order to know the leader's values, a content analysis was made of Colonel Qaddafi's speeches and public addresses. Second, event analysis was used to analyze Libyan behavior toward the three target states in terms of conflict/cooperation. Third, the relationship between the leader's values and the state's behavior (events) was assessed through the evaluation of a panel of experts on the region. / The analysis produced seven major values: anti-imperialism, pro-Arab unity, anti-Israel, pro-Islam, anti-communism, power, and security. The relationship between these values and events was strongly founded, but it was stronger for some than others. The number of values utilized to explain the behavior was different from one target state to another. / The general conclusion was that the leader's values have a strong effect on foreign policy behavior. Given an event and utilizing the values, Libyan behavior could be forecast. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3861. / Major Professor: Monte Palmer. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-06, Section: A, page: 3714. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 37-10, Section: A, page: 6743. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1976.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-12, Section: A, page: 7541. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 34-07, Section: A, page: 4364. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1973.