Thesis (LL. M.)--Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army, 1970. / "April 1970." Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-69). Also issued in microfiche.

Thesis (M.A.)--George Mason University, 2009. / Vita: p. 61. Thesis director: John B. Burns. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed June 10, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-60). Also issued in print.

Thesis (LL. M.)--Judge Advocate General's School, 1961. / "May 1961." Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in microfiche.

Thesis (LL. M.)--Judge Advocate General's School, United States Army, 1991. / "April 1991." Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-100). Also issued in microfiche.

This qualitative study examines the experiences of key stakeholders such as school administrators, the families of children with emotional and behavioral disabilities, special education advocates and the representatives of the advocacy organization that train them and their perceptions of the characteristics and core competencies that make special education advocates helpful in their support to families. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts yielded the following findings: 1) The low barrier to entry into special education advocacy leads to inconsistent approaches, 2) Differing perceptions of what motivates stakeholders create tension during IEP meetings, 3) Special education advocates serve as the voices of parents, 4) Advocates affect the emotional well-being of parents during IEP meetings positively, 5) Meetings are objectively and qualitatively different when advocates attend. The research findings also reveal that special education advocates who are helpful to families embody the following qualities and core competencies: 1) Knowledge of special education laws and procedures, 2) relationship building skills, 3) communication skills, 4) familiarity with available resources to support families. Specific recommendations targeted for each group of stakeholders were provided.

In the ever-evolving landscape of health systems, citizen advocacy stands as a tool for influencing policy aiming to strengthen health systems. This dissertation delves into the multifaceted nature of health policy advocacy and how citizen advocates can leverage research evidence in addition to the commonly used emotional messaging to influence policy. The first study is a critical interpretive synthesis (CIS), creating a theoretical framework that helps us understand the roles of citizen health policy advocates and their relation to research evidence. The second study is a multiple-case study that examines the approaches taken by citizen-serving NGOs in their advocacy training and whether and how research evidence is incorporated into the training. The third study is a qualitative descriptive study that explores citizens' experiences participating in these training modules and their perceptions of factors affecting the incorporation of research evidence in the training. In Chapter 2, we included 32 publications in the CIS, and four thematic groups were identified, including the roles of citizen health policy advocates, how research evidence could support them and the facilitators and barriers to their use of research evidence. In Chapter 3, we conducted a documentary review of 27 documents and interviewed 16 staff and board members of three organizations that provide advocacy training to citizen advocates. In Chapter 3, we interviewed 14 citizens who participated in the training of the three organizations. v The first study outlined how citizens could use research evidence and its importance to their advocacy roles, while the last two studies provide an understanding of how citizen-serving organizations offer training to citizen advocates and whether, how, and under what conditions they include research evidence in training. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Advocacy is an effective way to influence policies in democratic societies. One of those areas that are influenced by policy advocacy is health systems. Citizens who advocate for improving their health systems often rely on personal emotional messages rather than peer-reviewed research evidence. This dissertation tries to understand why this is the case and how research evidence can support those citizens. We also explore the factors that encourage or hinder citizens from using research evidence in health policy advocacy. We then examine three citizen-serving organizations that support citizens with advocacy training and explore how they support the trainees to use research evidence in advocacy. We also examine the experiences of citizens who participated in those training sessions and how they perceive the utility of research evidence in their advocacy to strengthen their health systems.

A non-experimental, descriptive study was conducted to examine the criteria by which ad hoc labor arbitrators are selected in the petroleum refining industry. Three factors — arbitrator background, recognition, and arbitration practice — were examined to determine their relative importance to advocates selecting ad hoc labor arbitrators. The population of the study consisted of management and labor union advocates in the petroleum refining industry who routinely select ad hoc labor arbitrators. Participating management and union advocates completed a questionnaire used to gather respondents' evaluations of criteria considered in the selection of ad hoc arbitrators. Responses to statements designed for measuring relative importance of the criteria considered were recorded. Descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis, and tests of significance were used in the treatment of the data.

Internet med dess sociala nätverk som blivit till mediekanaler har kommit att förändra vårt beteende när det gäller hur vi kommunicerar och vad vi kommunicerar. Det senaste skiftet representeras av förskjutningen från datorn till mobilen dit alltmer aktivitet flyttas. Detta skifte beror på den snabba produktutveckling som skett, där mobiltelefonen idag har kommit att innehålla komponenter tidigare isolerade till datorer. Detta har påverkat företagens marknadsföringsstrategier. Rapporten bygger på meningen att använda äldre sådana, applicerade på nya mediekanaler inte är effektivt. Istället behövs nya strategier och metoder, och den interaktiva, sociala delen i hur företag kommunicerar sitt budskap till målgrupper har blivit allt viktigare. Syftet med denna rapport är att undersöka ett nytt verktyg som drar nytta av den mobila trenden när det kommer till social media och människors nya kommunikationsvanor. Produkten som representerar av det nya verktyget här föremål för analys, är Wrapp’s presentkortsapplikation. Vi syftar med analysen fastställa huruvida verktyget hjälper företag att skapa förespråkare av varumärken så kallade brand advocates. Datainsamlingen och analysen av Wrapp som ett varubyggande marknadsföringsverktyg är begränsad till den amerikanska marknaden och två av partnerorganisationernas Facebook kampanjer. Wrapp möjliggör för företag att ge ut gratis och betalda presentkort till Facebook-vänner genom en mobil och webbaserad applikation. I undersökningen har en intervjustudie där respondenterna representeras av Wrapp-anställda genomförts. I denna framgår  spondenternas uppfattningar om i vilken utsträckning Wrapp’s applikation är ett arumärkesbyggande verktyg för företag, som skapar brand advocates. En analys av Wrapp’s kampanjverktyg har också genomförts, för att se om verktyget visar exponentiell tillväxt och en viral spridningscykel vad det gäller antalet skickade presentkort från ett specifikt varumärke. Resultaten från analysen presenteras och paralleller dras mellan de empiriska resultaten och den teori som presenteras i litteraturen, främst gällande brand advocates, social media marketing, viral marketing och Word-of-mouth, WOM. Resultatet från analysen av kampanjverktyget visar att det på den amerikanska marknaden, ännu inte blivit en strategi som leder till en viral spridning och en exponentiell tillväxt i antalet skickade presentkort. Lärdomar från intervjustudien granskas och presenteras med syfte att komplettera resultatet från kampanjverktygsanalysen. Också för att få en bredare förståelse för vad som skapar brand advocacy kring ett varumärke. Till det kompilerade resultatet tillämpar vi en modell som i rapporten antas beskriva hur rand advocates skapas. Genom att göra detta når vi den huvudsakliga slutsatsen, att Wrapp inte nödvändigtvis skapar brand advocates men, möjliggör handlingen av brand advocacy Modellen som sådan skulle kunna vara ett sätt för företag att undersöka huruvida nya sociala medierna skapar brand advocates, genom att undersöka och utvärdera de byggstenar som behövs för att ha en effektiv strategi vad det gäller opinionsbildning kring varumärket eller brand advocates alternativt handlingen av brand advocacy. / The Internet through social online networks and media has come to change our behavior when it comes to how we communicate and what we communicate. The latest shift is that from desktop to mobile, following the product developments happening with mobile phones making them smarter, portable and connected mini computers. This has had an effect on companies marketing strategies. To simply apply older marketing strategies on this new media channel is not sufficient. Instead new strategies and approaches are needed, and the social element needs to be implemented to a larger extent. The purpose with this report is to investigate a new social mobile marketing tool created by the tech start up Wrapp, and to analyse whether or not the tool helps companies create brand advocates. The data collecting and analysis of Wrapp as a brand advocacy tool is limited to the American market and two of the partner brands’ Facebook campaigns  onducted in this setting. Wrapp enables for companies to give out free and paid gift cards to Facebook friends through and mobile and web based application. In the research an interview study where we asked respondents represented by Wrapp employees about their conceptions on brand advocacy and social media marketing was conducted. An analysis of the Wrapp Facebook campaign tool was also done, to see if the tool shows exponential growth and virality in branded gift cards sent. Results are presented and efforts are made to draw parallels between the empirical findings and theory presented in the literature review concerning mainly brand advocates, social media marketing, viral marketing and WOM. The result from the Facebook campaign tool analysis shows, that the Wrapp tool on the merican market is yet to become viral. From the interviews we examine and present results to complement this finding, also to get a broader understanding on what creates brand advocacy. To the compiled results we apply a model assumed to describe how brand advocates are created. By doing this we reach our main conclusion, Wrapp does not based on our analysis create brand advocates, but the act of brand advocacy. The model as such could be a way for companies to investigate whether or not new social media platforms create brand advocates, by examining and evaluating the building blocks necessary to have an efficient brand advocacy strategy.

School counselors need to advocate and act as an ally for all students. Safe Space, a training designed to facilitate competency for working with and serving LGBTQ youth (i.e., LGBTQ competency), has received increased attention in the field of school counseling. However, limited empirical support exists for training interventions such as Safe Space, with only one study to date examining its effectiveness for graduate psychology students (see Finkel, Storaasli, Bandele, & Schaefer, 2003). This study used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design to evaluate and examine the impact of Safe Space training on competency levels of a sample of school counselors/school counselor trainees and to explore the relationship between LGBTQ competency and awareness of sexism and heterosexism.

School counselors are in a unique position to support LGBTQ-identified youth. However, the school setting may not provide a welcoming atmosphere for the level of support needed. How can school counselors overcome systemic challenges in order to best serve youth who are at increased risk of low academic performance, depression, selfharm, substance abuse, and suicide? This presentation will build upon skill competencies necessary for school counselors and open dialogue about how to work with challenges faced in the school system.