Refugee studies often focus on the devastating effects forced migration can have on a refugee population, both mentally and physically. This research investigates the case of Saharawis living in refugee camps in south-west Algeria and the social change experienced over 30 years. The method was a case study with qualitative interviews supported with secondary data. The Saharawis went through a period of positive social change, to some a revolution, while living in the refugee camps. The empirical study identifies three theme areas; Education, Women??s rights and Democracy. These circumstances are unlike many other refugee studies, thus providing what may be a unique case of positive social change. The case demonstrates how forced migration of a population may not just be a destructive process, but instead has the potential to reconstruct a society. Theories of social change and unanticipated outcomes are explored. Utilising the theories of Bourdieu and Merton, it is proposed that the Saharawi refugee experience is the unanticipated outcome of forced migration. This thesis explores commonalities and differences between Bourdieu??s study of the Kabyle population, and whether his theory of habitus is applicable. Bourdieu??s theories, heavily criticised for being too structuralist, show their limitations when dealing with positive social change. Bourdieu??s approach can suggest that it is inevitable for refugee populations to spiral into despair. The Saharawi case challenges these presumptions and highlights that neither sociologists nor populations should exclude the possibility of unexpected outcomes. Unanticipated outcomes are an acknowledgement of social change and the fact that at its heart no one can predict the future.

Papua New Guinea, a society with diverse natural environments (muddy swamps to soaring mountains, snake-shaped winding rivers, open seas) and cultural environments (different languages, customs, traditions) is undergoing massive and rapid social changes. The occurrence of these social changes and social problems are due to a combination of diverse exogenous and endogenous changes in different areas such as politics, economic, cultural, bureaucratic structure, technology and changes in other societies. These changes are explicitly stipulated and reflected during the process of the discussion and analysis. The purpose of this paper is an attempt to analyze social change and the emerging social problems in light of the colonisation process right up to the post independence era. The social functions and dysfunctions of the innovated Western type education system during the contemporary modernisation and development process are also examined. The theoretical frameworks used to analyze social change are (1) the structural functionalism theory, (2) modernisation theory, and (3) the theories of change and development. The rapid social changes, modernisation and other developments occurring in Papua New Guinea are a new experience. Prior to this, people have lived in Papua New Guinea for 50,000 years, developing material and nonmaterial cultures such as the use of simple technology including stone axes, digging sticks, dug out canoes etc., houses made of sago or kunai grass, reciprocity or gift-exchanges, interdependence, sharing, consensus, behaviour controlled by established social norms, and the overall social, political, economic and cultural structures and functions fused into a single dynamic institution, predominantly through the family units and kinship relationships. The destabilisation of this traditional social structural system occurred as a consequence of the introduction of profound changes and transformations when Great Britain annexed Papua and Germany proclaimed New Guinea in 1884. Further developments that occurred during the colonisation process are discussed in the paper. Education, a powerful agent of social change, has and is playing a crucial role during the modernisation and development process in meeting such requirements as manpower needs of the country or enabling political and economic development. Not only that but it is maintaining the new social strata that are emerging in the society. The top cream of the new social strata, called here the social, political, and economic elite are enjoying the perks and privileges associated with the positions they hold. They have been emancipated from the hard rural life as far as Western schooling is concerned. Simultaneously, being a heterogeneous society, the dysfunctions of education are also playing a role in which students are screened using examinations as the criteria and a majority of them are leaving school annually along the different levels of the education system. This is contributing to the over-production of educated people for the limited supply of jobs in both the government and private sectors,'consequently leading to unemployment and an upsurge in social problems. It is argued here that it would be completely a false assumption if people believe that education is wholly responsible for the social stratification, social inequality, instability and unemployment related problems such as the break down of law and order, disrespect for authority and established social norms, or rascalism. According to Etzioni and Etzioni, all efforts to explain societal change, whether positive or negative, as originating in one single factor have so utterly failed, thus, contemporary sociologists have almost unanimously have adopted a multifactor approach (1964:7). Etzioni and Etzioni also claim that social change may originate in any institutional area, bringing about changes in other areas, which in turn make for further adaptations in the initial sphere of change. Technological, economic, political, religious, ideological, invention, demographic and stratificational factors are all viewed as potentially independent variables which influence each other, as well as the course of society. The current social situation in Papua New Guinea appears daunting and pessimistic and for the masses of the people, the prospect is one of rising inequalities, more intensive exploitation, chronic unemployment and insecurity, misgovernment, social disruptions and blighted opportunity during the modernisation and development process. The paper suggests some ways in which the national education system and the national government could address some of these socio-economic problems to bring about positive social changes in society. There is a need for strong genuine political will, firm policy direction, diversification and industrialisation of the economy, prudent planning, educational reforms, constitutional reforms, increased training of skilled manpower, coordinated integration, wise spending of available resources and critical examination and analysis of wider social, political, economic, and cultural issues and implications by those in power. Perhaps these actions may help in some ways to bring about equilibrium in the different components that make up the whole social system, consequently creating a more just and stable society. Social, political, and economic stability is vitally essential for economic investment, modernisation and industrial growth.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

No description available.

<p>St. Jude Medical Inc is one of the worlds leading companies in the medical technology area with cardiovascular devices as its specialty.</p><p>Manufacturing implantable medical devices such as Pace Maker Electrodes requires complex design, safe processes and well trained operators. User friendly manufacturing operations are a necessity.</p><p>Lately there’s been an increase of the manufacturing volume which also increased the number of operators. More operators need to be trained and cross-trained. User friendly manufacturing operations will lead to a more effective training process.</p><p>The goal of this thesis is to improve manufacturing quality while maintaining or increasing productivity.</p><p>MOs should be written with a simple and straight language. MOs should include photo images to strengthen the structures in MO and make it easier for operators to organize.</p><p>The conclusion of this thesis is divided in two parts. The first part is to implement a new way for process engineers to create manufacturing operations. This was done in form of a checklist and an introduction manual called “Photoshop Handbook”.</p><p>The second part is a tested and verified prototype of what user friendly instructions could look like.</p>

Thesis (M.A.)--Addis Ababa University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-139).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The University of Iowa, 1991. / Supervisor: Kenneth Starck. Includes bibliographical references.

Recent research has shown that the main challenge regarding urban resilience planning is to broaden the views and go beyond resilience in relation to climate change, and incorporate other important societal aspects. The aim of this thesis is therefor to analyse contemporary planning aims and practices relating to the adaptation and resilience of urban social change. How and to what extent is social change aspects incorporated within the aims and practices of contemporary planning for urban resilience? What means are needed to bridge the gap between urban resilience planning for environmental change and social change? The method used is a textual analysis of five case studies; three international and two Swedish studies, which results in a comparative and theme based analytical matrix. The main findings show that urban resilience is still dominated by its environmental change aspects, and that social urban resilience is not yet a commonly used phrase within contemporary urban planning. By adapting some of the approaches used within environmental urban resilience when planning for social changes however, cities will be more resilient and be able to better identify, adapt to and improve the changing social patterns such as demographic changes and social exclusion.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.