The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) controversy was one of the most intense intra-Alliance debates experienced by NATO. The depth of the dispute, especially between the US and the European NATO members, threatened the very unity and cohesion of the Alliance itself. The INF controversy was the result of two factors: first, the establishment of strategic parity by the Soviet Union which brought into question the credibility of the US security guarantee to Europe; and second, the widening gap in the political and strategic interests of the US and its European allies. These factors combined to produce the two central--and conflicting--forces at work during the INF debate. The Europeans sought strategic reassurance, in the form of theatre-nuclear systems, to restore the integrity of the seamless web of deterrence. The divergence of political and strategic interests between the US and Europe, however, meant conflict over the posture and character of any new force. In the interests of preserving the unity of the Alliance, these problems were "solved" in typical Alliance fashion; through compromising to a consensus. The December 12 decision was based on erroneous and outdated conceptions of the significance of nuclear weapons for deterrence in Europe. What NATO planners, and many western analysts, have failed to recognize is the diminishing effectiveness of US nuclear weapons in maintaining effective deterrence in Western Europe. Deterrence in Europe is not primarily dependent on US nuclear forces and the threat of deliberate nuclear escalation they imply. Rather, deterrence in Europe should be understood as a compound product of many risk factors. Henceforth, thinking about NATO's deterrent requirements must recognize the limited utility of successive deployments of US nuclear forces as a deterrent. Greater reliance must be placed on the deterrent value of other risk factors which exist in the European theatre, most notably the increasingly powerful and discriminating capabilities of the French and British nuclear forces. / Arts, Faculty of / Political Science, Department of / Graduate

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

The formation of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in 1981 was perceived by most observers to be a collective security response to the Iran-Iraq war. Despite this view, the group has endured ten years of integration in a turbulent region and has survived: external threats to its sovereignty, Islamic fundamentalism, the decline of oil prices, internal unrest, attempted coups, and the invasion and occupation of a constituent member. This poses the question: has the integration of these countries proved to be a success? This thesis attempts to answer this question with the aid of a three dimensional analysis. The first dimension examines the theory and practice of integration. Its primary objective is to provide an insight into integration. As the GCC can, at best, be categorised as a Customs Union, this chapter concentrates on Free Trade Areas and Customs Union theories and explores their relationships with tariffs, protectionism, developing countries, and politics. A review of the empirical analyses in the field is essential due to the fact that a mathematical technique is applied to GCC trade in the latter part of this thesis. The existence of political, economic and manpower factors are found to be more detrimental to the GCC's interests than its adherence or convergence to the theory and practice of integration. An analysis of these three factors constitutes the second dimension of the thesis. This commences by examining the Islamic antecedents of the member countries, pan-Islamism and nationalism in the 19th century, and Middle Eastern efforts at integration from the decline of the Ottoman Empire to the present. The establishment of the existing GCC nations and an examination of their natural resources, demography, industry, infrastructure, agriculture, and fisheries is covered, as is the impact of the 1990-91 occupation of Kuwait and the BCCI liquidation. A review of manpower factors includes an examination of the labour market in the pre and post 1973 period with emphasis given to the role of expatriate and indigenous labour. In addition, the influence of education, women in the workforce, nationality, and residence policies on indigenous labour is discussed. The third dimension reviews the prospects of the GCC. This is performed through the construction and utilisation of matrices which examine the similarity or dissimilarity of GCC trade to the World, Developed and Developing Countries. United Nations Standard Industrial Trade Category (SITC) data up to 3-digits, has been used to construct twenty seven 22 x 22 matrices. Nine of these matrices indicate GCC trade with the Rest of the World and are linked to economic and financial literature on the Gulf in order to examine their credibility. Eighteen matrices which indicate trade with the Developing and Developed World indentify potential trade creation, trade diversion and prospects. It is the conclusion of the thesis that the GCC has not succeeded in its integration efforts. The lack of co-ordination to perform as a single unit in economic, political, and military areas, the undemocratic political systems, the exploitation of expatriate labour, the segregation of indigenous labour, and most importantly, the wasted opportunities indicated by the matrices of greater trade creation with the Developed and Developing Countries contribute significantly to the ineffectiveness of the group.

Tyrimo objektas – UADB „Ergo Lietuva“ paslaugų rinkodara. Tyrimo tikslas – suformuoti UADB „Ergo Lietuva“ paslaugų rinkodaros strategines kryptis. Iškeltam tikslui pasiekti sprendžiami tokie uždaviniai: 1) išnagrinėti mokslinę – metodinę literatūrą, susijusią su draudimo paslaugų rinkodara bei jos taikymu draudimo veikloje, nustatyti pagrindines rinkodaros funkcijas, strategijas ir jų reikšmę; 2) parengti tyrimo metodiką draudimo bendrovės „Ergo Lietuva“ rinkodaros strateginio planavimo būklei nustatyti; 3) išanalizuoti draudimo paslaugų rinkodaros aplinką bei jos poveikį strateginiams rinkodaros sprendimams. Tyrimo metodai. Analizuojant teorinę draudimo rinkodaros reikšmę taikyti bendramoksliniai tyrimo metodai – sisteminė ir lyginamoji mokslinės literatūros analizė, mokslinės literatūros studijavimas ir apibendrinimas. Tyrimo metodinį pagrindą sudaro empirinio tyrimo metodika. Atliekant rinkodarinės veiklos tyrimą naudoti kiekybiniai ir kokybiniai tyrimo metodai: analizė ir sintezė, apklausos metodas. Tyrimo laikotarpis: 2004 – 2009 metai. Tyrimo rezultatai: • pirmame darbo skyriuje išnagrinėta draudimo paslaugų rinkodaros samprata ir funkcijos, draudimo rinkodaros komplekso elementų strategijos, draudimo rinkodaros strategijų reikšmės. • antrajame skyriuje pateikiama draudimo bendrovės ,,Ergo Lietuva“ charakteristika, rinkodaros aplinkos analizė, bendrovės taikomos rinkodaros strategijos, draudimo paslaugų vartotojų nuomonės tyrimo metodika. • trečiajame skyriuje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object of the research – the service marketing of the insurance company „Ergo Lietuva“. The aim of the research – to formulate the strategic aspects of the insurance company‘s „Ergo Lietuva“ services marketing. To achieve the aim, the following problems are being solved: 1) to analyse the scientific – methodical literature related with the insurance services marketing and its application in the insurance activity, as well as, determine the basic marketing functions, strategies and their significance; 2) to prepare the methodology of the research in order to define the strategic planning condition of the insurance company „Ergo Lietuva“ marketing; 3) to analyse the environment of the insurance services‘ marketing, including its impact on the strategic marketing decisions. Research methods. The analysis of the theoretic significance of insurance marketing integrates general research methods, such as, systemic and comparative analysis of scientific literature, the study of scientific literature and generalizations. The methodical basis of the research includes the methodology of the empiric research. While conducting the analysis of the marketing activity, the following quantitative and qualitative research methods have been applied: analysis and synthesis, as well as, the interview method. Research period: 2004 – 2009. Results of research: • the first section of the work explicates the notion of insurance services marketing and its functions, the strategies of... [to full text]

This thesis has three parts which can be briefly described as the nature of the threat, the instrument of response and the method of response. Before discussing the military system of the Roman empire, it is necessary to examine its enemies, to see how and why they fought. The first part of the thesis looks at the limitations of the evidence concerning barbarians. It then discusses the social and economic basis of barbarian life, showing their potential for war and the type of threat presented to the Roman empire. The next section deals with the types of conflict between Rome and the barbarians and the reasons for it. There then follows a detailed discussion of barbarian armies and their equipment, strategy and tactics when fighting the Romans. The second section discusses the Roman army. Initially, the organisation of the army is examined, then its troop types and their equipment. This is done with regard to both land and naval forces. Then the sources of soldiers and the problem of barbarization are discussed in some depth. Lastly, the types of fixed defences are briefly examined. Having examined the instrument of response, the third section discusses how it was used. It starts by examining the conditions affecting decision-making at this period, then discusses foreign policy, i.e. whether to use force or alternative methods, with regard to both barbarians and internal enemies. Strategy, i.e. the type of operation employed to defeat the enemy, is then discussed with regard to defence against barbarians, attack against barbarians and against internal enemies. The following part, on operations, discusses how the army performed in the field and analyses tactics for fighting field battles, naval battles and sieges.

Psychological momentum (PM) is often regarded as an important phenomenon that influences athlete performance. Nevertheless, conceptualisations of PM are criticised for being speculative, vague and impractical for scientific inquiry. In contrast, self-regulation is a long-standing, well researched concept used to explain performance outcomes, yet not clearly integrated in current PM conceptualisations. Hence, this thesis explores self-regulation relative to PM. Golf was considered to be an appropriate context for the empirical inquiries on the basis that it serves as a metaphor for managing life’s challenges. Three studies were conducted. The first study entailed a systematic conceptual analysis of PM based on previous conceptualisations and studies in relevant scientific literature. Self-regulatory processes were identified among the key psychological mechanisms and moderators related to PM. The second study aimed to identify key self-regulation strategies in PM experiences among 16 golfers. A mixed method approach including novel “walk-along” and “think aloud” data collection techniques was used. An inductive thematic analysis yielded a comprehensive typology golfing strategies. Nevertheless, the study did not find consistent strategy patterns in positive or negative PM phases. The third study explored the self-regulation of identity (ego-regulation) in relation to PM phases. A staggered multiple-baseline single-case research methodology was used with five golfers (three professionals and two amateurs). Ego-regulation was manipulated through a mindfulness-based schema mode program tailored to golf (Mindfulness for Golf; MFG). Pre-, mid- and post-intervention data showed positive changes among the participants on two dimensions of PM as well as performance outcomes. Overall the results suggest that golfers use idiosyncratic self-regulation processes to facilitate performance, but these are not directly linked to PM phases. Nonetheless, there are promising indications that enhancing ego-regulation through the MFG program facilitates positive momentum among golfers. Based on the results of the studies in this thesis, and for the sake of scientific parsimony and pragmatism, it is recommended that self-regulation models incorporating motivation are used to explain momentum in athletic activity. In this view, PM has the function of describing, not influencing, goal-driven performance

The role of Japan in any U.S. strategic policy will be decided from the outcome of two debates. These two debates, the Japanese security policy debate and the American strategic policy debate, have been conducted within the leading groups of each country. The debates, both independently and at their points of interaction, illustrate the dynamic nature of the problem of forecasting the kind of security role Japan will perform in any future American strategic policy for the Northeast Asian region. Against a background of a Soviet regional military build-up and increasingly strident American calls for Japan to improve its defence capabilities, the Japanese debate signals a growing consensus for an enhanced security role. However, this trend must be severely qualified by the enduring impact of certain constitutional, political and economic constraints upon security policy-making. The importance that certain leading Japanese groups give to the domestic determinants of policy seems to have been discounted by many leading Americans. Any enhancement of Japan's security role must be accommodated by the Japanese domestic political environment; an environment which retains strong pacifist sentiments. The recent movement towards a military alliance between the two countries needs to be balanced against the continuing relevance that a good proportion of leading Japanese and the Japanese public hold for a minimum defence posture supported by the American security commitment, as embodied in the U.S.-Japan treaty. The American strategic policy debate is concerned with two main policy arguments. The unilateralist/maritime supremacy argument sees the world in essentially bipolar terms and seeks to augment American power so as to be able to overcome a potential enemy, solely through the use of U.S. power. The coalition/defence argument views the world in multipolar terms and believes that deterrence against an enemy should suffice and that this can best be achieved through the utilization and management of allied as well as American forces. The examination of the policy arguments within each of the debates reveals that each is in an insufficiently developed stage to greatly assist our predictions as to Japan's future security role in any American strategic policy. Arguments that Japan is willing to accept specific regional security are easily countered by equally valid ones which foresee no direct security role within any American strategic policy of the near future. / Arts, Faculty of / Political Science, Department of / Graduate

In October 2003, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) proposed the establishment of a security, economic and socio-cultural community by the year 2020. Given that initiators of the ASEAN proposal were informed by the scholarly literature on the concept of a 'security community', this dissertation develops and then tests the concept in relation to the ASEAN states. Here, the concept of a 'security community' is understood as 'a transnational grouping of two or more states whose sovereignty is increasingly amalgamated and whose people maintain dependable expectations of peaceful change'. The application of the 'security community framework' developed in this study is necessary to provide a conceptual basis for critically assessing the major factors that could potentially impede ASEAN's evolution towards a security community. For the purpose of such an assessment, the study provides a detailed investigation of the most significant historical issues and contemporary security challenges that inform the nature of inter-state relations in Southeast Asia. As a complement to this approach, the dissertation incorporates the analysis of data obtained from extensive fieldwork in all ten of the ASEAN states involving over 100 in-depth interviews and two survey designs (one at the elite level and another at the communal level) involving 919 participants. While the survey work, especially at the communal level, is best considered a pilot study and the results are therefore to be considered as indicative, the research nevertheless represents the first empirical assessment of regional perceptions of trust, intra-mural relations, security, economic integration, and liberalisation and of a broad range of other factors relevant to the analysis. The interview data has also been invaluable in uncovering previously unpublished information and in contextualising the analysis. Despite a considerable strengthening of the region's security architecture since ASEAN's formation, the ten chapters in the study reveal that the Association has a long way to travel before it will satisfy the defining criteria of a security community. The region lacks a common sense of community and consequently the level of trust between the Southeast Asian states remains problematic. The political elite continue to engage in episodes of competitive behaviour, have been unable to resolve territorial disputes, and thus the continued potential for armed conflict undermines the prospect for 'dependable expectations of peaceful change'. Therefore, ASEAN's evolution towards the status of a security community, if it proceeds further, will likely occur over the course of many decades rather than by ASEAN's current goal of 2015.

The subject of this work is the strategic problems faced by the United States Navy in the Western Pacific following the acquisition of the Philippine Islands as a result of the Spanish-American War. Using primary materials from the National Archives, Naval War College, and Library of Congress Manuscript Division, some of which have only recently been declassified, the rarely publicized 'Works of the United States Navy in regards to strategic planning and national interests are detailed. Secondary accounts, along with contemporary periodical literature, supplement the previously classified documents.

The advent of the global financial recession, its impact on the economy with respect to market turbulence and the increase in customer demands have put organisations under intense pressure to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations. By virtue of it not being business as usual in the business arena, organisations are forced to constantly devise strategies that are geared towards growth, transformation and continuous improvement. This cuts across all spheres of organisational structures, which means that every division has a role to play.