Principled instrumentalism: a theory of transnational NGO behaviour

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 487-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
GEORGE E. MITCHELL ◽  
HANS PETER SCHMITZ

AbstractScholarship has traditionally portrayed transnational NGOs (TNGOs) as ‘principled’ actors animated by global norms to advance human rights, sustainable development, humanitarian relief, environmental stewardship, and conflict resolution. However, scholarship has also identified instances in which TNGOs appear to act ‘instrumentally’ by engaging in resource-maximising behaviour seemingly inconsistent with their principled nature. Moreover, prior scholarship addressing this puzzle has been constrained by the limitations of small-n case studies examining relatively narrow subsectors of the TNGO community. Addressing these limitations, we reexamine the logic of TNGO behaviour in light of findings from an interdisciplinary, mixed-method research initiative consisting of in-depth, face-to-face interviews with a diverse sample of 152 top organisational leaders from all major sectors of TNGO activity. Using an inductive approach to discover how TNGO leaders understand their own behaviour, we introduce the heuristic of ‘principled instrumentalism’ and specify our framework with a formal model.

Ta dib ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Maison Maison ◽  
Dw Agus Kurniawan ◽  
Lika Anggraini

Abstract: Learning that initially took place traditionally (face to face) has shifted to virtual learning or online learning. This study aimed to identify online learning's influence on students’ awareness of doing assignments during the Covid-19 pandemic. The mixed-method research with the sequential explanatory design was used to collect and analyze data with a total sample of 305 physics education students at Jambi University. The results showed that students' perceptions and awareness in carrying out tasks online are in a good category. There is a significant effect of online learning on student awareness in doing assignments with a contribution of 72.1%. The remaining 27.9% was influenced by other variables not found in this study. Abstrak: Pembelajaran yang semula berlangsung secara tradisional (tatap muka) telah bergeser ke pembelajaran virtual atau pembelajaran online. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pembelajaran online terhadap kesadaran mahasiswa dalam mengerjakan tugas selama pandemi Covid-19. Metode penelitian campuran dengan desain eksplanatori sekuensial digunakan untuk mengumpulkan dan menganalisis data dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 305 mahasiswa Pendidikan Fisika Universitas Jambi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persepsi dan kesadaran mahasiswa dalam melaksanakan tugas secara online berada pada kategori baik. Ada pengaruh yang signifikan pembelajaran online terhadap kesadaran mahasiswa dalam mengerjakan tugas dengan kontribusi sebesar 72,1%. Sisanya 27,9% dipengaruhi oleh variabel lain yang tidak ditemukan dalam penelitian ini.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Folashade Afolabi

Coronavirus has affected not only the human health but also the educational sector. As a result of this pandemic, schools were forced to suspend face-to-face learning and implement an alternative method of learning which is online learning. The focus of this paper is to investigate the accessibility and efficiency of learning during the lockdown period. The paper examined the effectiveness of vodcast (video and podcast) lessons as a strategy in online teaching by using learning management system (LMS) and to what extent the strategy met the needs of the learners during the challenging period of the covid-19 pandemic. The study adopted mixed method research which consisted of three main phases of design. The questionnaire used in this study comprises 15 items and is divided into two sections and 50 participants participated in the study. The findings indicated that learners displayed positive perceptions towards the use of vodcast lessons during the pandemic period. Furthermore, they reported that online learning should be used to complement face-to-face teaching even after the pandemic period is over.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Öznur Akgiş İlhan ◽  
Erdal Karakaş ◽  
Büşra Özkaraman

AbstractThis research attempts to answer whether Cittaslow is a myth or an effective model for development for Taraklı, a small town in the Sakarya province of Turkey. The study was designed and analysed using the mixed method research model. The results are as follows. Since Taraklı became a Cittaslow, the number of tourists increased which ultimately helped to fight against unemployment and also increased income of people. Women's participation in the labour force had increased and their representation in public places was enhanced. Important steps were taken towards the preservation of cultural heritage. Along with quantitative and qualitative improvements in green areas, the local people's awareness of environmental protection has increased.


Author(s):  
Thobeka K.T. Ngcamphalala

Background: In South Africa (SA), procurement is seen as a strategic tool for socio-economic development, and is guided by the Supply Chain Management Policy Framework developed in 2003. The commuter bus sector is complex and its operations are not in line with the recommended regulations. Procurement in the sector is marred by many challenges, such as the fact that no new contracts have been concluded since 2001.Objectives: This article investigates the perceptions of key stakeholders on the application of the procurement practices within the commuter bus industry in Gauteng to improve the industry’s performance.Method: This article is descriptive and exploratory in nature and employed a mixed-method research approach. The data were collected from a sample of 18 respondents who are key stakeholders directly involved in the procurement of subsidised commuter bus services in Gauteng by means of a face-to-face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: The findings of the article revealed that there are three procurement practices employed within the commuter bus industry, namely, interim, negotiated and tender contracts and all these are long overdue.Conclusion: The findings of the article recommend that the key stakeholders need to select the most suitable procurement practice(s) to be employed within the industry and it highlights the challenges stemming from the lack of proper implementation of the guiding policies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-99
Author(s):  
Adeela Manzoor ◽  
Ashfaq Ahmad Maan ◽  
Izhar Ahmad Khan ◽  
Babar Shahbaz

Purpose of the study: The major purpose of this study was to enhance food security by reducing wheat losses. Methodology: A mixed-method research was used for data collection. Six focus group discussions and six key-informant interviews were conducted to cover qualitative aspects while 400 face-to-face interviews were conducted. The study was conducted in three randomly selected districts of Punjab. Six tehsils, two from each district were further selected randomly. From each selected tehsils, four hundred farming households were selected through a proportionate sampling technique, and data were collected through an interview schedule. : For the qualitative aspect thematic analysis was used to analyze data. The quantitative data were analyzed through the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Main Findings: The result of the present study shows that majority of respondents having old age were doing wheat post-harvest activities and they have only a primary level of education. The farmers who have access to extension services had less level of losses rather than others.   Qualitative results show that the farmers who are trained with techniques to manage post-harvest activities have fewer losses as compare to the farmers who are not trained. Applications of this study: It is concluded that hurdles regarding canal water, marketing, transportation, and practices of traditional methods for wheat storage lead to post-harvest losses as well. It is a sheer need of time to train the people (involved in postharvest management activities) to reduce the postharvest losses according to their needs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Folashade Afolabi

Corona virus has affected not only human health but also educational sector. Schools were forced to suspend face-to-face learning while online learning was introduced.  How could learning be undisrupted during the lockdown period is the thrust of this paper. The paper examined the effectiveness of podcast (video recorded) lesson as a strategy in online teaching and to what extent the strategy met the needs of the learners during the challenging period of pandemic COVID-19. The study adopted mixed method research which consisted of the three main phases of design. Questionnaire which comprises of 19 items and divided into two sections was used for data collection while fifty (50) participants participated in the study. It was discovered that learners displayed positive perceptions towards the use of video recording lessons during pandemic period. Learners reported that online learning should be used to compliment face-to-face teaching even after the pandemic period.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Leithold ◽  
Heiko Haase ◽  
Arndt Lautenschläger

This study analyses the drivers and impact of cooperation with external partners in the new product development (NPD) of small technology-based firms (STBFs). The authors used a mixed-method research design, carrying out 49 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with STBFs in Germany. For data analysis, inter-coder agreement, content analysis, descriptive categorizations and contingency tables using Bayesian probabilities were applied. The authors found that STBFs predominantly cooperated with universities, non-university research institutions or laboratories, other enterprises and public agencies. Resource shortages in NPD were frequent among the STBFs in the study and, when faced with such shortages, STBFs had a higher propensity to cooperate with external partners. More specifically, qualification deficits were the most prominent cooperation driver. Furthermore, cooperation with external partners had a positive influence on the innovation success of STBFs. Several theoretical and practical implications are presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-162
Author(s):  
Francisco Buitrago

The paramount importance of active pedagogical learning for the development of skills and competences is now unquestionable.  However, homework assignments in engineering courses are still passive learning instruments that often appear as requirements rather than learning tools.  This issue arises due that the teaching team usually does not have the capabilities to provide real-time feedback, neither to enable students to fix errors on a timely manner to enhance the process of learning.  To overcome this challenge, we developed a novel Blended-like methodology for homework assignments called TARSIS.  This methodology uses a platform to boosts the contribution of homework assignments in the learning process by using an attempt mechanism for online solution, combined with a real-time feedback scheme in both virtual and face-to-face environments. The platform is very intuitive to use and offers full flexibility for self-paced learning.  In this study, we describe the methodology and use a mixed-method research approach to assess the performance of TARSIS. Results indicate that students enrolled with TARSIS achieved higher performance in both homework assignments and exams.  Furthermore, students’ perceptions demonstrate higher enthusiasm and motivation towards the value of homework assignments as mechanisms to promote learning processes.


Author(s):  
Yanhong Lee ◽  
Harrison Hao Yang ◽  
Jason MacLeod ◽  
Jinjun Dai

The multiple synchronous smart classroom learning environment (MSSC) is an alternative educational context that describes several active learning classrooms, connected through synchronous broadcasting technology. MSSC provides conceptually new capabilities to maximise both student learning and instructor efficiency. However, MSSC lacks an empirically validated instructional model, which limits effectiveness, particularly in relation to student interaction. Therefore, this study designed, developed, and implemented the rotational synchronous teaching (RST) model: a practical instructional approach for simultaneously teaching large student audiences, while maintaining smaller interactive classroom atmospheres. The RST model was tested in a mixed method research design that relied on survey (n = 305) and interview (n = 8) data of college students collected at the conclusion of the spring semester 2017. The effects of this RST model on student connected classroom climate obtained results matching previous research in traditional face-to-face classroom contexts. These preliminary findings indicate that the MSSC can effectively cultivate social interaction among students in a large instructional context with an approapriate instructional approach. The results of this study also suggest the need to expand future research toward comparative methodologies that examine additional variables, including academic achievement.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document