Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1981.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Not available / text

In the western United States, Numic-speaking Indian peoples wield more power today than ever before. Following centuries of depopulation, land and resource loss, and directed change interventions aimed at assimilating them into mainstream society, they are revitalizing traditional culture and renewing their claims to lands and resources by demanding equal participation in national-level activities that affect land and resources that were once under their control. In 1994, representatives of Numic Indian tribes representing three ethnic groups involved in consultation with the U.S. Department of Energy on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) decided by consensus to "incorporate" themselves as the Consolidated Group of Tribes and Organizations (CGTO) to defend their common interests in and claims to NTS lands and resources. What caused 16 distinct, autonomous, sovereign American Indian tribal entities to incorporate themselves as a corporate organization? Using a political ecology perspective, this study examines the social, cultural and political processes operating at multiple levels of analysis and applies social and cultural theories of (1) ethnic cultural persistence, (2) the emergence and evolution of collective action groups for defending cultural interests in "common property," (3) the role of corporate and organizational structure and culture in the articulation of social relations between contending groups, and (4) the related shifts or changes in the distribution of structural power as a result of changing policy environments to a case study-based ethnographic analysis of an ongoing program of American Indian consultation.

<p> Disaster management requires collaboration for effective and efficient outcomes. Current disaster management requires utilization of the National Incident Management&rsquo;s Incident Command System (ICS), which bases its fundamentals in command and control. The study examined the problem of misalignment in needed knowledge, skills and abilities for effective collaboration between the fire department and the local emergency management agency (EMA) as compared to the current edition of the National Incident Management System. The purpose of the study involved extending current collaboration theories into collaboration between the fire department and the local EMA, as well as, identifying differences in current ICS curricula. The qualitative multiple case study surveyed and interviewed 17 local EMA and fire department personnel within the original Urban Area Security Initiate areas in the State of Ohio and compared the findings of the interviews to the current ICS curriculum to determine gaps and contradictions. The study found communication, management of personnel and process, and trust as the leadership, management, and personal trait themes needed to enhance collaboration between the local EMA and the fire department. When compared to the ICS curricula only a small percentage (12%) of the collaboration themes existed within the curriculum. A recommendation for further research included expansion of the study to include all 50 states. Recommendations for practical application included the addition of a course in two-way communication within the ICS and fire administration higher education curriculums. </p>

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves striving for balance between environmental, social and economic performances of business. Encouraged by growing pressure for transparency and accountability in business, CSR constitutes an overall contribution of business to sustainable development; hence, healthy business requires a healthy community. The research asks if the law can assist CSR to deliver sustainable development to the underdeveloped but oil-rich Niger Delta, establishing areas of good practice whereby oil companies support the region's economy and social needs through their CSR activities. However, regulations do bring about social change thus business are obliged to obey the laws, codes of good practice and initiatives. Although CSR is not business' primary responsibilities, business can encourage poverty reduction and societal development. The analysis of Nigerian oil production laws reveals that court interpretations regarding rising number of oil-related litigations and procedures of settlements, neglects of oil commuities and compensation payments have become difficult. While the outcomes of Joint Venture Arrangement (JVAs) crucially affect CSR performance, the need for reforms is necessary. Using the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) criteria, the analysis of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC)'s CSR performance in Nigeria reveals that while improvements are needed in some areas including envitonmental and human rights protections, consultation and dialogue, overall, the research shows that the company positively affects the region. The research establishes that through effective enforcement, the law can assist CSR to deliver sustainable societal development. It is concluded that until CSR is made compulsory supported by legislations to guide businesses, the full gains of CSR cannot be achieved. Hence, the research offers a detailed novel definition of CSR to make businesses become more liable as the existing model allows them to act voluntarily. Using novel models, the research demonstrates how sustainable development can be attained through CSR and considering compulsory legislations, enforcement, compliance, stakeholders' integration, consultation, dialoge and prolific partnerships. The research also offers Government Social Responsibility (GSR), a concept to further governments' commitments to their citizens.

<p> The Department of Defense, at the time of this study, had over 38 combat Forward Operating Bases (FOB) with both U.S. military and non-military personnel residing and engaged in the mission. Also in these FOBs, are local nationals of the countries, who are employed to perform certain duties in these FOBs after having had certain security and medical background checks. However, while on military mission in Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries between 2009 and 2011, this researcher, observed and detected more than once, local nationals (LNs), Afghans, with certain infectious skin conditions working in the DIFACs (dining facilities) at major FOBs, serving food to soldiers inside the base. These LNs reside outside the FOB facility and gain entrance into the FOB daily, passing through already set security parameters put in place by the Department of Defense (DoD). There are Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) to prevent or mitigate Person-borne Improvised Explosive Device (PBIED), Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), and to also respond to, or recover from, Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks on FOBs. Researcher is unaware of any TTP specific for HB-BA terrorist, capable of detecting, deterring or destroying a terrorist with bioagents breaching a combat post ECP; nor the training of soldiers of how to conduct a search on a bio-agent (BA) &ndash; or even what a bio-agent would look like if they found one. The purpose of this research was to determine whether there are current military counter bioterrorism measures in place to combat a human-borne with a bioagent (HB-BA) terrorist attempting to breach a combat FOB at the ECP, and how effective they are. </p><p> To accomplish this, a survey tool had to be developed and employed to determine the perceptions about the effectiveness of current ECP TTPs in detecting, deterring preventing, and mitigating a HBBA terrorist at the ECP, from military personnel. A survey tool (questionnaire) was developed, validated, and subjected to a reliability testing using Cronbach&rsquo;s Alpha on a mix-method cross sectional survey, a pretest. Results showed a Cronbach&rsquo;s Alpha of 0.82 and 0.89 for the survey&rsquo;s two constructs. Also, 92.3% of respondents had recently been in combat deployment. All of them claimed that bioterrorism is very possible, but 61.5% believe it is either very possible or possible for a terrorist with a bioagent (BA) to successfully breach a FOB ECP. Only 3.8% felt that it would be impossible to breach the FOB ECP with a bioagent. Similarly, only 28% of respondents surveyed believe that current ECP TTPs are effective against a BA, 48% believe that current CBRN TTPs are either not effective, or somewhat effective, against BA at the ECP. In conclusion, the preliminary study, indicated that combat FOBs are vulnerable to breach by human-borne with BA terrorist at the ECP, as there exists no currently effective ECP TTP that could detect, deter or destroy a terrorist with a biological agent at a combat FOB ECP.</p>

<p> In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the role of the local police has undergone a continual expansion process that has become a vital component in safeguarding our national security. Despite numerous technological advancements in intelligence operations, the local police remains the only 24/7 emergency operations entity that is capable of gathering intelligence, investigating, mobilizing operations, and apprehending threats to our nation. With this expanded role in national security, police leadership and management is faced with increased levels of accountability, including the safeguarding of critical infrastructure in their respective jurisdictions, often without financial commitments and resources acquisitions. This qualitative study served to address the local police as a component of national security through five police chiefs&rsquo;/directors&rsquo; perceptions of their roles in safeguarding critical infrastructure, examining their perceptions as they pertain to their current delivery mission model, through interviews and the development of pervasive themes. Themes from the data were well-saturated, as well as overarching, and emerged as follows: (a) critical infrastructure (CI) identification, (b) policy and patrol practice, (c) police officer knowledge, (d) technology impacts on critical infrastructure, and (e) budget. Identification regarding the relationships between local police and civil/national security, leadership/management and policy were made that suggest changes and sweeping support for future frameworks. The paper concludes with a discussion of the research, along with recommendations for policy, practice and future research.</p>

<p> Durable power of attorney has been recognized as a powerful legal document that is used to financially exploit the elderly across the United States. The existing research indicated elder financial abuse undermines the economic security of the financially exploited older adult. </p><p> Despite the findings, however, a recent review of the existing literature showed a lack of research that computed how much elder financial abuse was attributed to durable power of attorney abuse. Studies, such as the one published by the MetLife Market Institute, reported that $2.9B was stolen from the elderly nationwide in 2010. If the durable power of attorney is used to financially exploit the elderly, then the question becomes: How much money is stolen from the elderly by the misuse of a durable power of attorney? The existing research that quantified elder financial abuse did not delineate and show how much was attributed to durable power of attorney abuse. That is the missing link. </p><p> Adult Protective Services is a nationwide government agency that receives and investigates reports of suspected elder abuse, physical and financial. The elder financial abuse cases include those in which a durable power of attorney was used to gain access to the older adults&rsquo; money. </p><p> This dissertation was the first attempt to calculate in dollars how much money was taken from older persons in Bergen County, New Jersey through the misuse of a durable power of attorney, with a sole focus on durable power of attorney abuse apart from the other ways in which senior citizens are financially exploited. This researcher examined an open-source document prepared by Bergen County Adult Protective Services and estimated in dollars how much money was taken from the elderly in Bergen County, New Jersey over a specific period of time. </p><p> This researcher examined civil security, the human security paradigm, and national security. The focus was on the economic component of the human security paradigm and through a narrow lens, the study results demonstrated that durable power of attorney abuse is a critical threat to the economic security of the nation&rsquo;s older population and poses a potential threat to our nation&rsquo;s security. </p><p> The most significant result was that the data compiled in this study seemed to indicate that between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, the majority of the elder financial abuse cases reported to and investigated by Bergen County Adult Protective Services were committed by a means other than the misuse of a durable power of attorney. When it was used, however, it resulted in the older persons having their monthly social security income stolen on a regular basis, or in other cases hundreds of thousands of dollars were taken over time.</p>