The initial hypothesis of this dissertation was that Afghan insurgents' attacks on Afghan civilians have lowered popular confidence in the Afghan government and its institutions. The goal of the insurgents has been to convince Afghans that their local, provincial, and national governments and security forces cannot protect them. Insurgents harm and kill civilians as part of their strategy of intimidation. Conversely, counterinsurgents try to convince the Afghan people that their government is responsive, that the economy is promising, that the rule of law is strong, and that Armed Forces of Afghanistan are viable. For the counterinsurgency to have been successful, the level of national confidence would need to have been high. National confidence is intangible, often fleeting, and sometimes difficult to gauge. There are standard measurements of human development, such as economic growth; longevity; access to medicine and health clinics, levels of literacy, potable water, security, and others. However, measuring confidence presents unique challenges for the researcher. The Taliban were, by far, the most powerful and largest of the insurgent groups, but there were others. The strategy of the insurgents to break confidence in the Afghan local, provincial and national governments was based on three basic principles: crippling the economy, terrorizing their domestic enemies; and destroying the will of foreign states to continue their support for Kabul. All these tactics were predicated on violence. In this dissertation, quantitative methods associated the impact of violent incidents, which were the independent variables, to various indicators of national morale, which are the dependent variables. The results confirmed some elements of the hypothesis and disproved others. Several components of national confidence declined from 2008 and 2010, but only marginally. For the scales that were measured, there was a decline of national confidence in four scales, but an increase in one scale. There were decreases in the confidence of economic prosperity in villages and neighborhoods where citizens live, and a decline in the confidence of citizens in national and provincial governments. In security, there was a very slight decline. However, there was an increase in the confidence of citizens in institutions, organizations, and officials. The findings suggest that the overarching counterinsurgency strategy of building national confidence through sustained human development was successful in the years analyzed in this dissertation. Despite a spike in insurgent attacks during 2009, national confidence in 2010 was not significantly eroded. The author of this dissertation is a military analyst for the Department of Defense. All material in this work - its observations, conclusions, recommendations, and opinions - are those of the author and his alone. No element of this dissertation, officially or unofficially, reflects the policy of the Department of Defense or any element or agency of the United States government. / acase@tulane.edu

This study is based on the assumption that seasonal influenza in tropical region correlates with climatic, geographical, and socio-economic factors. There are very few studies addressing seasonality and geographical distribution of influenza epidemic in Thailand, not to mention, study on association between influenza incidence and its contributing factors. The main objectives of this study are to 1) identify seasonality, spatial dependency, and spatiotemporal correlation of seasonal influenza in Thailand, 2) identify climatic, geographical, and socio-economic factors associated with influenza incidence in Thailand, and 3) develop comprehensive prediction models of influenza incidence in Thailand. The results of the study suggest that there is obvious seasonal pattern of influenza incidence in Thailand. The peak of the epidemic occurs in rainy season (June-July). The bottom of the epidemic happens in the middle of summer (April) and in winter (December). ArcGIS, geographical information system software, was used in this study to identify spatial dependency. The epidemic displays spatial dependency as there were 127 districts out of 928 districts having significantly higher incidence of influenza than neighboring districts, while 21 districts showing significantly lower incidence than neighboring districts. Rainfall, temperature, humidity, altitude, population, and household incomes showed significant correlations with influenza incidence in Thailand. Population is the most important contributing factor. However, correlations of all factors are weak to very weak. A GWR model was developed to predict influenza incidence. The variables included in the model are accumulated rainfall, and district population. The correlation coefficient of the model was 0.369. And a series of GWR models for each month of the year were also developed. The correlation coefficients of the models suggested that the monthly GWR models predict the incidence better than the general GWR model only in the months with high incidence of influenza (June-August). According to the finding of this study, we know that when and where influenza vaccination should be provide in order to control annual spread of seasonal influenza in Thailand. Although, the GWR model developed in this study is not a good prediction model, but it provides common ground for further study on seasonal influenza in Thailand and the region. / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

Thesis (M.S.)--Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 1978. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [82]-84).

This thesis employs qualitative research with focus on corporate information technology strategy which is perceived as a tool used to build and maintain reputation in Slovak companies. The newly generated knowledge is then used to develop a new information technology strategy and implement it to a company using the best organization development and change practices.

Die rasante informationstechnologische Entwicklung, die gestiegene Qualitätsanforderungen (OAQ, 2010) und die Professionalisierung der Hochschulentwicklung (Zellweger & Bachmann, 2010) stellen die Hochschulen vor die Frage, wie der Support für die Lehre sichergestellt und angeboten werden sollte. An der ETH Zürich wurde der auf Lehrtechnologie ausgerichtete Support mit dem Bereich der hochschuldidaktischen Lehrunterstützung zu einer neuen Einheit fusioniert, um Lehrentwicklung und Lehrtechnologie aus einem Guss zu behandeln. Aus dieser Perspektive und vor dem Hintergrund laufender Entwicklungen werden erneut Fragen zur Zukunft der Organisationform gestellt. Diese werden in einem Learning Café diskutiert.

This diploma thesis of a didactic character presents use of specific methods of personal and social education in leisure time centers through methodical cards linked with educational technologies. These methodical cards were made and practically proven by the implementer of this thesis together with leisure-time activities teachers and subsequently critically evaluated. Research methods were used for a comparison of my personal experience with methodical cards and the experience of each participant, where at least 3 teachers commented on 1 methodological card, as well as the qualitative semi-structured interview, which found out the possibilities and limits of the use of these methodical cards and the quantitative research study in the form of a questionnaire, which is used to get an overview of the needs of leisure-time activities teachers. Based on that, it creates detailed methodological cards. The result was that all 10 developed and practically proven methodological cards are under specific conditions have practical use.

<p>Yom Kippurkriget 1973 kan sägas vara det första sjökriget då sjömålsrobotar nyttjades av krigets respektive parter. Hur påverkade denna teknikutveckling av sjömålsroboten Israels sjötaktiska agerande? Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur teknikutvecklingen av sjömålsroboten har påverkat Israels sjökrigföring, samt undersöka huruvida det är tekniken som styr taktiken, eller tvärtom. Detta sker med en komparation av israelernas sjökrigföring under två krig, sexdagarskriget 1967 samt Yom Kippurkriget 1973. Analysverktyg för denna jämförelse utgörs av Wayne P. Hughes och Christopher Werners teorier angående samspelet mellan teknik och taktik. Denna teori och empiri redogörs deskriptivt med kvalitativ textanalys. Jämförelsen leder fram till att israelernas sjötaktiska agerande förändrades. I bägge krigen rådde god teknisk analys vilket påverkade deras taktik. Tekniken under Yom Kippurkriget möjliggjorde dock en offensivare taktik än agerandet under sexdagarskriget. Teknikutvecklingen av sjömålsroboten ledde således fram till en effektiv taktikanpassning. Undersökningen leder även fram till att teknik och taktik ständigt påverkar varandra.      </p> / <p>The Yom Kippur War in 1973 is known to be the first naval war when surface-to-surface missiles were used by both sides. How did this development of technology affect the tactical actions of Israel?</p><p>This paper examines how the development of technology, in form of the surface-to-surface missile, has affected the naval warfare of Israel and if technology affects tactics or vice versa. To find answers, the Israelis tactical actions are compared, in two wars, Six-Day War in 1967 and Yom Kippur war in 1973. Theories regarding the interplay between technology and tactics, by Kevin P. Hughes and Christopher Werner, are used as tool for the analysis.</p><p>The result of the study shows that the tactical actions of Israel did change by the development of technology. Common in both wars is the fact that analyses of technology were carried out and affected their tactical actions. Technology during the Yom Kippur War though made more offensive tactics possible, than during the Six-Day War.</p><p>Thus development of the surface-to-surface missile did lead to an effective adaptation of tactics. The result of the study also shows that tactics and technology constantly affects each other.     </p>

Yom Kippurkriget 1973 kan sägas vara det första sjökriget då sjömålsrobotar nyttjades av krigets respektive parter. Hur påverkade denna teknikutveckling av sjömålsroboten Israels sjötaktiska agerande? Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur teknikutvecklingen av sjömålsroboten har påverkat Israels sjökrigföring, samt undersöka huruvida det är tekniken som styr taktiken, eller tvärtom. Detta sker med en komparation av israelernas sjökrigföring under två krig, sexdagarskriget 1967 samt Yom Kippurkriget 1973. Analysverktyg för denna jämförelse utgörs av Wayne P. Hughes och Christopher Werners teorier angående samspelet mellan teknik och taktik. Denna teori och empiri redogörs deskriptivt med kvalitativ textanalys. Jämförelsen leder fram till att israelernas sjötaktiska agerande förändrades. I bägge krigen rådde god teknisk analys vilket påverkade deras taktik. Tekniken under Yom Kippurkriget möjliggjorde dock en offensivare taktik än agerandet under sexdagarskriget. Teknikutvecklingen av sjömålsroboten ledde således fram till en effektiv taktikanpassning. Undersökningen leder även fram till att teknik och taktik ständigt påverkar varandra. / The Yom Kippur War in 1973 is known to be the first naval war when surface-to-surface missiles were used by both sides. How did this development of technology affect the tactical actions of Israel? This paper examines how the development of technology, in form of the surface-to-surface missile, has affected the naval warfare of Israel and if technology affects tactics or vice versa. To find answers, the Israelis tactical actions are compared, in two wars, Six-Day War in 1967 and Yom Kippur war in 1973. Theories regarding the interplay between technology and tactics, by Kevin P. Hughes and Christopher Werner, are used as tool for the analysis. The result of the study shows that the tactical actions of Israel did change by the development of technology. Common in both wars is the fact that analyses of technology were carried out and affected their tactical actions. Technology during the Yom Kippur War though made more offensive tactics possible, than during the Six-Day War. Thus development of the surface-to-surface missile did lead to an effective adaptation of tactics. The result of the study also shows that tactics and technology constantly affects each other.

O presente estudo examina o trabalho interacional de resolução de problema em cenário de desenvolvimento tecnológico. Fundamentado na perspectiva teórico-metodológica da Análise da Conversa Etnometodológica, este trabalho busca produzir uma descrição situada da atividade interacional de resolução de problema e examinar em que medida essa atividade pode ser relacionada com momentos de construção conjunta de conhecimento. O corpus de análise se constitui de aproximadamente 60 horas de gravações audiovisuais geradas em um laboratório de tecnologia voltado à produção de materiais biomédicos. Nesta dissertação, são examinados em detalhe quatro segmentos de resolução de problema, representativos do conjunto de instâncias identificadas no corpus. Nos dados analisados, a atividade de resolução de problema é descrita enquanto instância interacional em que participantes lidam com (a) problemas que emergem como entraves ao andamento das atividades em curso, o que demanda deles (b) engajamento conjunto em busca de (c) uma resolução boa o suficiente para (d) a retomada da atividade em que vinham engajados quando o problema se instaurou. Em tal instância interacional, o surgimento de um problema a ser enfrentado pelos participantes acarreta, assim, (e) a suspensão da atividade que vinha sendo realizada, sendo (f) a sua resolução condição sine qua non para a retomada. O exame das instâncias levantadas permitiu identificar ainda que os participantes se engajam de maneiras distintas na resolução dos problemas que se colocam. Há ocorrências em que o problema a ser enfrentado constitui um obstáculo a ser transposto por todos os participantes envolvidos na interação. Nessas instâncias, não há ninguém que detém de antemão a resolução para a questão, que precisa, assim, ser conjuntamente buscada e negociada. Por outro lado, há também ocorrências em que o problema a ser enfrentado não constitui um obstáculo a ser transposto por todos os participantes. Nessas instâncias, a resolução para o problema é alcançada com a ajuda fornecida por um participante que, interacionalmente, coloca-se como mais experiente. Diante dos problemas e da necessidade iminente de resolvê-los, os participantes engajam-se no trabalho de construção conjunta de conhecimento, sendo essa construção observável nas ações que os próprios participantes realizam para os fins práticos de retomada das atividades que vinham realizando (ABELEDO, 2008; GARCEZ; SALIMEN, 2011). Na empreitada conjunta de resolução de problema, os participantes orientam-se para o problema a ser resolvido como objeto de conhecimento a ser alcançado. É, portanto, envidando esforços para a resolução dos problemas que os participantes constroem conhecimento com o outro. A investigação realizada oferece subsídios para a reflexão acerca de modos de organização e fomento da construção conjunta de conhecimento em cenário escolar pela implementação de uma proposta de trabalho organizada em torno de projetos que, à semelhança do que ocorre no cenário aqui investigado, levem os próprios alunos a construir conhecimento conjuntamente pela resolução conjunta de problemas práticos relacionados à sua execução. / The present study examines the interactional work of problem solving in a setting of technological development. Based on the theoretical and methodological perspective of Conversation Analysis, this study seeks to produce a situated description of the interactional activity of problem solving and examine to what extent this activity may be related to moments of joint construction of knowledge. The corpus of analysis is approximately 60 hours of audiovisual recordings generated at a lab dedicated to the development of technological innovation in biocompatible medical devices. In this text, we examine in detail four segments of problem solving, representing the set of instances identified in the corpus. In the data analyzed, the activity of problem solving is described as an interactional instance in which participants (a) deal with problems that emerge as barriers to the progress of ongoing activities, which requires them (b) joint engagement in search of (c) a solution that is good enough to (d) retake the activity in which they were engaged when the problem has emerged. In such interactional instance, the emergence of a problem to be faced by participants entails, thus, (e) the suspension of the activity that was being performed, and (f) its resolution as a prerequisite for the its resumption.The examination of these instances has also enabled the recognition that the participants engage in different ways when solving the problems that arise. There are instances in which the problem to be faced is an obstacle to be overcome by all participants involved in the interaction. In these instances, there is no one who knows beforehand the resolution to the problem, which must be then jointly pursued and negotiated. Conversely, there are also instances in which the problem to be faced is not an obstacle to be overcome by all participants. In these instances, the resolution to the problem is achieved with the help provided by a participant who stands as the most experienced. Considering the problems and the imminent need to solve them, participants engage in the work of the joint construction of knowledge, which is observable in the actions that the participants themselves perform for the practical purposes of the resumption of the activities that they were performing (ABELEDO, 2008; GARCEZ; SALIMEN, 2011). In the joint enterprise of problem solving, participants orient themselves to the problem to be solved as the object of knowledge to be attained. It is by making efforts to solve the problems that the participants produce knowledge with others. The research contributes for the reflection on modes of organization and promotion of joint construction of knowledge in school settings through the implementation of a pedagogy organized around projects that, similar to what occurs in the setting examined here, enable students to build knowledge together through the joint resolution of practical problems related to the implementation of the project.