How Do Observers Assess Resolve?

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua D Kertzer ◽  
Jonathan Renshon ◽  
Keren Yarhi-Milo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Credibility Theory ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
The Us ◽  
Alternative Research ◽  
Conjoint Experiment ◽  
Costly Signals ◽  
Ordinary Citizens

ABSTRACTDespite a plethora of theoretical frameworks, IR scholars have struggled with the question of how observers assess resolve. We make two important contributions in this direction. Conceptually, we develop an integrative framework that unites otherwise disconnected theories, viewing them as a set of heuristics actors use to simplify information-rich environments. Methodologically, we employ a conjoint experiment that provides empirical traction impossible to obtain using alternative research designs. We find that ordinary citizens are ‘intuitive deterrence theorists’ who focus to a great extent on capabilities, stakes, signals and past actions in judging resolve. We also find that observers see democracies as less resolved than autocracies (not more), casting doubt on key propositions of democratic credibility theory. Finally, a conceptual replication shows that a group of elite decision makers converge with the US public in how they interpret costly signals, and in viewing democracies as less resolved than autocracies.

A Typology for an Online Socrates Café

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Jody S. Piro ◽  
Gina Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Common Good ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Habits Of Mind ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Civil Discourse ◽  
Democratic Learning

Background/Context Increased polarization of viewpoints in the United States may have detrimental consequences for democratic pedagogy. The goals of civil society require a reliance on democratic values, and active participation is necessary for a strong civil society that demands the common good be deliberated in democratic ways. Discussion as pedagogy has been advanced for furthering democratic learning spaces in higher education with adults and in teacher education programs. Opportunities to participate in democratic discussions may also be created in online courses to prepare students who are literate in multiculturalism and an inclusive society. Engaging students in discussion that facilitates diverse perspectives and that challenges taken-for-granted assumptions is necessary. Purpose This article explores the theoretical frameworks of a pedagogy of process called a Socrates Café, resulting in a typology for an online Socrates Café. This framework may assist instructors to create and sustain purposeful online discussion forums that engage students in deliberative discussion to develop democratic learning spaces and civil discourse. If democratic pedagogies are enhanced when people deliberate in online discussions by sharing their reasoning with each other, listening to competing points of view, considering new evidence, and treating one another as political equals, then the Socrates Café has much to offer as a pedagogical process. Research Design Drawing on scholarship from key pedagogical and dispositional components, this analytical essay offers a typology that finds its theoretical roots in several areas, including: philosophical forum, discussion and dialogue, critical inquiry, habits of mind, intellectual traits, critical reflection, and civil discourse. Findings/Results From both the pedagogical and dispositional components of the Socrates Café, we develop an integrative framework for guiding the creation and ongoing development of an online discussion. Our purpose in creating the framework was to determine those pedagogical and attitudinal dispositions that were foundational elements of the online Socrates Café: clarity of thinking and other habits of mind; attitudes of empathy, confidence, open mindedness and scholarliness; and questioning and dialogue. Conclusions/Recommendations This essay concludes that the online Socrates Café is fraught with unavoidable contradictions resulting in a pedagogy of process that is negotiated and dynamic, but also purposeful and intentional. The integrative framework proposed in this work assists students to examine who they are as scholars, practitioners, and members of a democratic society. The inherent tensions between the competing values that situate the Socrates Café make it a complex pedagogy that invites students to encounter issues that surpass the self and connect them with larger societal problems, enhancing the potential for discussions that are purposeful and result in an expansion of perspectives. Supporting students as they negotiate these and other contradictions and paradoxes in a functional Socrates Café has immense potential for facilitating democratic spaces in pedagogy for civil discourse.

scholarly journals The Dynamics of Google within the Frame of a Large Technical System

MaRBLe ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Johannes Schäfer
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Exponential Growth ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
System Approach ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Technical System ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
The Us

The Large Technical System approach was introduced by the influential historian of technology, Thomas P. Hughes, in the 1970’s and is one of the most prominent theoretical frameworks within the Science and Technology Studies. However, it has found little attention in relation to the digital realm. This research applies the LTS framework onto the US-American company Google and seeks to bring a conceptual understanding to the company’s exponential growth. Thus, it describes the emergence and evolution of Google as a complex system – an alignment of components of technical and non-technical nature – and assigns patterns and concepts to its development. This research provides an answer to how Google not only gained a system structure but also reached the notion of momentum. Yet, suggesting a social constructivist path, this paper secludes by elucidating the influencing power of the LTS’s user – an important factor which was widely disregarded in the initial works of Hughes.

Exploring Funding in Higher Education Sector in Oman

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-20
Author(s):  
Mouza Said Al Kalbani ◽  
Ahmad Bintouq
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Private Education ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Tuition Fees ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
The Us ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Uk

Funding of higher education institutions is a major growing expense for the Oman government (13–14% of the total spending in 2016) and is at par with that of other governments (e.g., 11% in the UK and 15.5% in the US). However, there has been little investigation into the funding of quality higher education in Oman. The present research project aims to explore the sources of funding at Oman universities after it opened the private education sector in 1996. The research methodology includes conducting interviews with leaders in higher education to explore different types of funding (e.g., gifts, tuition fees, government support). This will enhance our understanding, as well as that of decision-makers, regarding universities' funding sources and of the higher education landscape.

Building resilience for food service businesses in times of crisis: a Four-F action plan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananya Bhattacharya ◽  
Ambika Zutshi ◽  
Ali Bavik
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Management ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Service Businesses

Purpose This paper aims to propose a “Four-F (finding facts, fostering alternates, fulfilling implementation and feasibility testing)” action plan to global food service businesses (FSB) such as restaurants (dine-in/take away) to build resilience during times of global crises. The 2019 Coronavirus disease and FSBs apply as working examples elaborating the proposed Four-F action plan with several managerial implications for the internal and external stakeholders of FSBs. Design/methodology/approach The method involves reviewing and coding 108 articles using the PRISMA approach, then applying findings to develop the Four-F action plan integrating multiple theoretical concepts (such as stakeholder, crisis management and dynamic capabilities). Findings There are two key findings. First, though all four crisis phases should be considered by decision-makers as part of their contingency planning process, the pre and post-crisis stages need higher attention. Second, the Four-F action plan provides specific recommendations to FSBs stakeholders (consumers, suppliers and government) for each crisis phase (pre-crisis, crisis emergence, crisis occurrence and post-crisis). Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that has incorporated multiple theoretical frameworks (stakeholder theory, crisis management and dynamic capabilities) within the FSBs context and provided the Four-F action plan for decision-makers to understand and manage crisis phases.

Handbook on Using Administrative Data for Research and Evidence-based Policy

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Administrative Data ◽  
Data Security ◽  
Data Use ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Institutional Review Boards ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Policy ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Address Data ◽  
The Us

The Handbook on Using Administrative Data for Research and Evidence-based Policy offers guidance for researchers, data providers, and decision-makers who would like to use administrative data to inform policy. Administrative data has the potential to change the future of research, in particular when combined with experiments that can help test the effectiveness of planned programs and evaluate new hypotheses. This Handbook offers a roadmap to overcome potential challenges in using administrative data for research and evaluation purposes. The technical chapters address data use agreements, working with institutional review boards, physical data security, privacy, and more. Ten complementary case studies showcase diverse models of successful administrative data partnerships in the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Inexperienced decision-makers' use of positive heuristics for marketing decisions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Gilbert-Saad ◽  
Rod B. McNaughton ◽  
Frank Siedlok
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Distribution Channel ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Think Aloud ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Think Aloud Protocols ◽  
Limited Experience ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Domain Specific Knowledge

PurposeResearch has reliably demonstrated that decision-makers, especially expert ones, use heuristics to make decisions under uncertainty. However, whether decision-makers with little or no experience also do, and if so, how? is unknown. This research addresses this issue in the marketing context by studying how a group of young and generally inexperienced entrepreneurs decide when asked to set a price and choose a distribution channel in a scenario involving a hypothetical firm.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used think-aloud protocols to elicit data and then used inductive procedures to code the data for analysis.FindingsThe inexperienced entrepreneurs in the sample used three types of heuristics in their decision-making, forming a structured process that narrows in scope. First, metacognitive heuristics, which specify a decision-making approach, were used, followed by heuristics representing the criteria they considered, and finally, heuristics detailing the execution of a selected option. The authors also found that heuristics relating to a market orientation, especially customer-centric criteria, were the most common, but these were balanced with ones representing an internal orientation or growth.Research limitations/implicationsThe generally inexperienced decision-makers the authors’ studied used heuristics in a structured way that helped them to select and balance several potentially conflicting decision-making criteria. As with most research using qualitative research designs, the generalizability of these findings is unclear. Further research on the mechanisms by which relatively inexperienced decision-makers learn the heuristics they use is recommended.Originality/valueThis research's novelty lies in its focus on heuristic use by nonexpert decision-makers under conditions of uncertainty and the findings about their scope and the order they are used. As the authors collected data from think-aloud protocols with relatively young entrepreneurs with limited experience, they also offer a description of the heuristics used by nascent entrepreneurs when making marketing decisions about pricing and channels. The most surprising conclusion is that even without relevant domain-specific knowledge, decision-makers can use heuristics in an ecologically rational way (i.e. structured to match the environment).

Metatheorising Transformational Management

2010 ◽  
pp. 127-150
Author(s):  
Mark G. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Corporate Management ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
The Social ◽  
Relational Qualities ◽  
Transformational Management

Corporate management is facing a world full of transformational challenges. How might theory development contribute to a more transformative vision of management? While there have been attempts by theorists to move beyond conventional conceptualizations, more innovative and, in particular, more integrative theoretical frameworks are still needed. Conventional and new paradigm management theories take contending sides in the change debate and often define their approaches in terms of dichotomous oppositions. Using an integrative approach to metatheory building, this article proposes that the application of a relational lens overcomes many common polarities and oppositions present within current theorisings. The relational qualities that emerge from this metatheoretical approach are presented as useful guides for developing innovative theories that address the operational and transformational challenges of 21st century management. The metatheoretical analysis not only provides an integrative framework for exploring more visionary conceptualisations of management it also shows that metatheorising has powerful critical capacities for assessing scientific theories in the social sciences.

scholarly journals 3200 Balancing Cost and Quality of Care in the US and Denmark: Lessons for Nations Transitioning from Volume-Based to Value-Based Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. 140-140
Author(s):  
Negin Fouladi ◽  
Margit Malmmose
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Regulatory Oversight ◽  
Physician Practices ◽  
The Us

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Promote knowledge translation and evidence-informed decision-making by assessing barriers and facilitators to balancing cost and quality of care within the US state of Maryland and nation of Denmark. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Open-ended and semi-structured key-informant interviews were conducted in 2016 and 2017 among high level decision-makers in Maryland (N=21) and the Danish (N=17) healthcare systems, including hospital, local, regional, and cross-organizational administrators and elected officials. The interviews consisted of questions related to: (1) currently practiced and preferred approaches to resource allocation and development and use of quality performance measures, and (2) preferred sources, formats/styles, modes of information, and decision-making strategies based on a shift from volume to quality-driven care. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Decision-makers in Maryland expressed the need for collaboration in a changing environment, yet increasingly rely on cost and quality outcomes data to drive decisions and note the struggle to identify credible and useful information. Maryland decision-makers also face challenges in regulating utilization and costs without mandated participation of physician practices within the global budget cap model, which is perceived to be a primary driver of healthcare utilization in the hospital sector. Similarly, decision-makers in Denmark conveyed the importance of quantitative data to aid decisions, however, stress collaboration and dialogue as driving factors and important sources of information. Danish decision-makers also express challenges to wide-spread adoption of a quality-driven approach due to unsustained quality assurance regulatory bodies. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The findings suggest implementation of value-based healthcare is highly driven and influenced by availability of credible data, which may significantly impact development of policies and innovative cost control strategies, and regulatory oversight to promote adoption of quality measures in decision-making. Furthermore, collaboration within and across healthcare organizations remains a key component to health system improvement as it fosters dialogue and sharing of best practices among stakeholders.

scholarly journals Exploring the experiences and perspectives of substitute decision-makers involved in decisions about deceased organ donation: a qualitative study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e034594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Crawshaw ◽  
Justin Presseau ◽  
Zack van Allen ◽  
Livia Pinheiro Carvalho ◽  
Kim Jordison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Organ Donation ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Theoretical Domains Framework ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Deceased Organ Donation ◽  
Substitute Decision Makers ◽  
Regulation Model

IntroductionIn Canada, deceased organ donation provides over 80% of transplanted organs. At the time of death, families, friends or others assume responsibility as substitute decision-makers (SDMs) to consent to organ donation. Despite their central role in this process, little is known about what barriers, enablers and beliefs influence decision-making among SDMs. This study aims to explore the experiences and perspectives of SDMs involved in making decisions around the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies, end-of-life care and deceased organ donation.Methods and analysisSDMs of 60 patients admitted to intensive care units will be enrolled for this study. Ten hospitals across five provinces in Canada in a prospective multicentre qualitative cohort study. We will conduct semistructured telephone interviews in English or French with SDMs between 6 and 8 weeks after the patient’s death. Our sampling frame will stratify SDMs into three groups: SDMs who were not approached for organ donation; SDMs who were approached and consented to donate and SDMs who were approached but did not consent to donate. We will use two complementary theoretical frameworks—the Common-Sense Self-Regulation Model and the Theoretical Domains Framework— to inform our interview guide. Interview data will be analysed using deductive directed content analysis and inductive thematic analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal Research Ethics Board. The findings from this study will help identify key factors affecting substitute decision-making in deceased organ donation, reasons for non-consent and barriers to achieve congruency between SDM and patient wishes. Ultimately, these data will contribute to the development and evaluation of tools and training for healthcare providers to support SDMs in making decisions about organ donation.Trial registration numberNCT03850847.

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