Thesis (Master, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-25 13:31:32.904 / My thesis is an examination of militarized masculinity in Canada’s JTF2 Special Forces and the Private Security Firm Blackwater. I employ a gender analysis to highlight how militarized masculinity impedes women’s participation from Special Forces and private security firms. Feminist scholarship by Cynthia Enloe, Ann Tickner, Sandra Whitworth, and Charlotte Hooper has examined how militarized masculinity is associated within a particular political/situational context and therefore should be understood in its plural—as militarized masculinities. However, there is limited scholarship focusing on how masculinities vary in Special Forces and private security firms. This lack of scholarship results in limited knowledge of the implications militarized masculinity in these units has for women’s security and for women’s participation in these units. The purpose of this thesis is to add to the current literature by exploring, through militarized masculinities, the gender barriers to women’s participation and the consequences of the security produced when these units deploy. To analyze the impact of militarized masculinity in these units I conducted interviews with authorities on these units, applicants interested in participating in these units, and performed a content analysis of Blackwater’s website. I argue based on the information gathered that militarized masculinity, while varied in its application in special units and private security firms, continues to impede women’s participation and in some cases can cause greater insecurity for women where these units are deployed. / Master

My thesis is an examination militarized masculinity in Canada's JTF2 Special Forces and the Private Security Firm Blackwater. I employ a gender analysis to highlight how militarized masculinity impedes women's participation from Special Forces and private security firms. Feminist scholarship by Cynthia Enloe, Ann Tickner, Sandra Whitworth, and Charlotte Hooper has examined how militarized masculinity is associated within a particular political/situational context and therefore should be understood in its plural--as militarized masculinities. However, there is limited scholarship focusing on how masculinities vary in Special Forces and private security firms. This lack of scholarship results in limited knowledge of the implications militarized masculinity in these units has for women's security and for women's participation in these units. The purpose of this thesis is to add to the current literature by exploring, through militarized masculinities, the gender barriers to women's participation and the consequences of the security produced when these units deploy. To analyze the impact of militarized masculinity in these units I conducted interviews with authorities on these units, applicants interested in participating in these units, and performed a content analysis of Blackwater's website. I argue based on the information gathered that militarized masculinity, while varied in its application in special units and private security firms, continues to impede women's participation and in some cases can cause greater insecurity for women where these units are deployed.

本研究首度採用資料包絡分析法評估台灣證券商的經營效率，主要研究目的有三：（一）評估現有證券商的效率情形，及個別證券商之最適投入產出數額；（二）探討效率值的解釋因素；（三）比較資料包絡分析法與傳統一般獲利指標的評估結果。本研究以現存之專業經紀商及綜合證券商為研究對象，以資料包絡分析法評估其八十至八十三年之效率情形，並以兩組投入產出組合（模型一與模型二）作分析；再以迴歸模式，探討效率值是否由於成立年數、股價指數、經營型態及營業據點數的不同而有所差異；44最後以Spearman相關分析比較效率值與一般獲利指標排序的相關程度。關於效率值的解釋因素方面，本研究設立八個研究假說：(1)經紀商的純粹技術效率值比綜合證券商高；(2)成立年數越久，純粹技術效率4值越高；(3)營業據點數越多，純粹技術效率值越低；(4)純粹技術效率值會隨股價指數的漲跌而有顯著不同；(5)經紀商的整體技術效率值比綜合證券商低；(6)成立年數越久，整體技術效率值越高；(7)營業據點數越多，整體技術效率值越低；(8)整體技術效率值會隨股價指數的漲跌而有顯著不同。 　　根據實證結果顯示：（一）在模型一下效率值最好與最差的證券商與模型二幾乎完全相同；（二）全體證券商之純粹技術無效率及規模無效率的程度類似，表示就全體而言，若要徹底改善效率，資源的善用與規模的調整皆須進行；（三）不論在模型一或模型二下，經營型態、營業據點數及成立年數對整體技術效率值的影響均為顯著，其中綜合證券商較經紀商的效率值為佳，營業據點數對效率值有負向影響，成立年數對效率值有正向影響；而純粹技術效率值的解釋因素，只有成立年數和股價指數為顯著，其中成立年數對效率值有正向影響，而股價指數對效率值有負向影響；（四）整體技術效率值與四項獲利指標的相關程度較高，表示整體技術效率的表現與獲利高低有關；而純粹技術效率值與四項獲利指標的相關程度卻較低，因為獲利良窳除了與純粹技術效率有關，還會受到公司本身競爭策略、政府課稅因素、規模報酬狀況及其它環境因素的影響。