The Problem of Chronic Refugee Communities: Applying Complexity Theory to the Situation Along the Thai–Myanmar Border

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ora-Orn Poocharoen ◽  
Jeffrey D. Straussman ◽  
David E. Guinn
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
Time Dynamic ◽  
Adaptive Techniques ◽  
Dynamic Development ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Intractable long-term or chronic refugee communities present serious challenges to common refugee-management strategies. We argue that they are best understood and managed by using adaptive techniques drawn from complexity theory. To illustrate this strategy, we use the refugee communities situated along the Thai–Myanmar border as a case study. The article outlines the key elements of complexity theory, the complexity lens, for use in analysis of the problem. It then applies the complexity lens to the case study: identifying and describing the actors and networks that compose the complex system of the Thai–My refugees (the complex system) and the dynamic developments within that community over time (dynamic development). Based on this analysis, the article utilizes the complexity lens to evaluate the policy options commonly offered for the management of this ongoing refugee situation.

Investigation of a New Approach to Predict Water Quality Extremes with a Case Study of Chemical Determinands in Stream Water

1991 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
A. J. Jakeman ◽  
P. G. Whitehead ◽  
A. Robson ◽  
J. A. Taylor ◽  
J. Bai
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Hybrid Modelling ◽  
Trend Model ◽  
Environmental Extremes ◽  
Modelling Approach

The paper illustrates analysis of the assumptions of the statistical component of a hybrid modelling approach for predicting environmental extremes. This shows how to assess the applicability of the approach to water quality problems. The analysis involves data on stream acidity from the Birkenes catchment in Norway. The modelling approach is hybrid in that it uses: (1) a deterministic or process-based description to simulate (non-stationary) long term trend values of environmental variables, and (2) probability distributions which are superimposed on the trend values to characterise the frequency of shorter term concentrations. This permits assessment of management strategies and of sensitivity to climate variables by adjusting the values of major forcing variables in the trend model. Knowledge of the variability about the trend is provided by: (a) identification of an appropriate parametric form of the probability density function (pdf) of the environmental attribute (e.g. stream acidity variables) whose extremes are of interest, and (b) estimation of pdf parameters using the output of the trend model.

scholarly journals A Holistic Framework for Evaluating Adaptation Approaches to Coastal Hazards and Sea Level Rise: A Case Study from Imperial Beach, California

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1324
Author(s):  
David Revell ◽  
Phil King ◽  
Jeff Giliam ◽  
Juliano Calil ◽  
Sarah Jenkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Public Trust ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Public Benefits ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Local Risk ◽  
Over Time

Sea level rise increases community risks from erosion, wave flooding, and tides. Current management typically protects existing development and infrastructure with coastal armoring. These practices ignore long-term impacts to public trust coastal recreation and natural ecosystems. This adaptation framework models physical responses to the public beach and private upland for each adaptation strategy over time, linking physical changes in widths to damages, economic costs, and benefits from beach recreation and nature using low-lying Imperial Beach, California, as a case study. Available coastal hazard models identified community vulnerabilities, and local risk communication engagement prioritized five adaptation approaches—armoring, nourishment, living shorelines, groins, and managed retreat. This framework innovates using replacement cost as a proxy for ecosystem services normally not valued and examines a managed retreat policy approach using a public buyout and rent-back option. Specific methods and economic values used in the analysis need more research and innovation, but the framework provides a scalable methodology to guide coastal adaptation planning everywhere. Case study results suggest that coastal armoring provides the least public benefits over time. Living shoreline approaches show greater public benefits, while managed retreat, implemented sooner, provides the best long-term adaptation strategy to protect community identity and public trust resources.

Long-Term Evolution of a Conceptual Schema

2011 ◽  
pp. 280-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lex Wedemeijer
Keyword(s):  
Error Correction ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Conceptual Schema ◽  
Doing Business ◽  
Schema Design ◽  
Derived Data ◽  
Over Time

Enterprises need data resources that are stable and at the same time flexible to support current and new ways of doing business. However, there is a lack of understanding how flexibility of a Conceptual Schema design is demonstrated in its evolution over time. This case study outlines the evolution of a highly integrated Conceptual Schema in its business environment. A gradual decline in schema quality is observed: size and complexity of the schema increase, understandability and consistency decrease. Contrary to popular belief, it is found that changes arent driven only by accepted causes like new legislation or product innovation. Other change drivers are identified like error correction, changing perceptions of what the information need of the business is and elimination of derived data. The case shows that a real Conceptual Schema is the result of objective design practices as well as the product of negotiation and compromise with the user community.

scholarly journals Helping Yourself or Others? Motivation Dynamics for High-Performing Volunteers in GLAM Crowdsourcing

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sultana Lubna Alam ◽  
Ruonan Sun ◽  
John Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Incentive Structure ◽  
Open Communication ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
High Performing ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
Over Time

While most crowdsourcing (CS) cases in the literature focus on commercial organisations, little is known about volunteers’ motivation of initial and continued participation in not-for-profit CS projects and importantly, about how the motivations may change over time. It is vital to understand motivation and motivational dynamics in a not-for-profit context because a fundamental challenge for not-for-profit CS initiations is to recruit and keep volunteers motivated without any formal contract or financial incentives. To tackle this challenge, we explore high performing volunteers’ initial motivation for joining and sustaining with a GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) CS project. We situated our interpretive exploration in a case study of the Australian Newspapers CS project initiated by the National Library of Australia. Based on the case study, we found that high-performing volunteers were motivated by a combination of personal, collective, and external factors classified into intrinsic, extrinsic, and internalised extrinsic motivations. Further, we found that these motivations changed over time. Specifically, many volunteers presented substantial personal (i.e., personal interest and fun) and community-centric motivations (i.e. altruism and non-profit cause) when they initially joined the project, whereas external motivations (i.e., recognition and rewards) had a greater impact on long-term participation. Our findings offer implications for CS system design (e.g., user profiles, tagging and commenting), incentive structure (e.g., reputation-based ranking, leader boards), and relational mechanisms (e.g., open communication channels) to stimulate sustainable contributions for not-for-profit CS initiatives.

scholarly journals Harnessing values to save the rhinoceros: insights from Namibia

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff R. Muntifering ◽  
Wayne L. Linklater ◽  
Susan G. Clark ◽  
Simson !Uri-≠Khob ◽  
John K. Kasaona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Joint Venture ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Regional Governance ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Individual Values ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Simple Economic

AbstractThe rate at which the poaching of rhinoceroses has escalated since 2010 poses a threat to the long-term persistence of extant rhinoceros populations. The policy response has primarily called for increased investment in military-style enforcement strategies largely based upon simple economic models of rational crime. However, effective solutions will probably require a context-specific, stakeholder-driven mix of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms grounded in theory that represents human behaviour more realistically. Using a problem-oriented approach we illustrate in theory and practice how community-based strategies that explicitly incorporate local values and institutions are a foundation for combating rhinoceros poaching effectively in specific contexts. A case study from Namibia demonstrates how coupling a locally devised rhinoceros monitoring regime with joint-venture tourism partnerships as a legitimate land use can reconcile individual values represented within a diverse stakeholder group and manifests as both formal and informal community enforcement. We suggest a social learning approach as a means by which international, national and regional governance can recognize and promote solutions that may help empower local communities to implement rhinoceros management strategies that align individual values with the long-term health of rhinoceros populations.

scholarly journals Intellectual Capital Change Management in the Construction Industry—The Case of an Inter-Organisational Collaboration

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 199
Author(s):  
José Vale ◽  
Nádia Barbosa ◽  
Rui Bertuzi ◽  
Ana Maria Bandeira ◽  
Vera Teixeira Vale
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Traditional Media ◽  
Intellectual Assets ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Nowadays, due to the complexity of the relationships with external entities, along with the importance that traditional media and the innovative social media have in creating competitive advantages, it is necessary for companies to collaborate in order to create Intellectual Capital (IC). Although collaboration is crucial to create IC, there is a paucity in literature regarding the effects that a specific type of collaboration may have on the IC of an organisation, specifically a franchising with a mediatic actor. Moreover, literature addressing IC creation and destruction over time is scarce, especially when applied to the construction industry. This paper’s goal is twofold: understanding the longitudinal changes of a construction SME’s Intellectual Capital, regarding its creation and destruction; analysing the impact that a specific inter-organisational collaboration franchising—with a mediatic actor may have on such IC. A single in-depth case study was conducted, allowing to conclude that the actions of an organisation can develop both Intellectual Assets and Intellectual Liabilities. It was also concluded that inter-organisational collaboration, through a franchise with an actor with experience in communication, can generate, in the long term, positive and innovative effects regarding the different IC components, namely the Relational one. More specifically, the paper allowed to ascertain that an organisation’s IC changes over time in a dynamic fashion, i.e., Intellectual Liabilities which emerged before an innovative collaboration can be transformed into Intellectual Assets and create competitive advantages. This paper contributes to stress the importance of managing IC, not only when it is created, but namely in when it can be destroyed, in a context of inter-organisational collaborations applied to a construction SME.

scholarly journals Development Strategy of Ornamental Fish Cultivation Using The SWOT and QSPM Models: A Case Study of Betta Fish Cultivation Group Members in Kediri City

2019 ◽  
Vol 007 (01) ◽  
pp. 81-94
Author(s):  
Hutami Putri Puspitasari ◽  
◽  
Agus Tjahjono ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Matrix Analysis ◽  
Swot Matrix ◽  
Strategic Factors ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Study Techniques ◽  
Internal And External Factors

The main objective of this study is to analyze internal and external factors and recommend strategies for the development of betta fish cultivation. The method used is a descriptive qualitative method with case study techniques, while the selection of respondents uses a purposive sampling method through participatory observation with interviews based on questionnaires. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) analysis techniques are carried out to plan the required management strategies. The results showed that the IFE matrix analysis had a total score of 3.159 and EFE 2.835. In the SWOT matrix, allocating the betta fish cultivation business is located in quadrant I which can be interpreted as an aggressive growth (growth-oriented strategy) and on profitable growth. QSPM analysis results obtained top priority is to improve the quality and number of betta fish produced with a STAS value of 5.749. Based on this top priority, it can be used as input and reference consideration in making policies on betta fish cultivation business which includes strategic factors in the long term.

Social Media and Disasters

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Briony J. Gray ◽  
Mark J Weal ◽  
David Martin
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Conceptual Frameworks ◽  
Risk Zones ◽  
Information Reliability ◽  
Over Time

Conceptual frameworks which seek to integrate social media uses into disaster management strategies are employed in a range of events. With continued variations to online practices, developments in technology, and changes in online behaviours, it is imperative to provide conceptual frameworks which are relevant, current and insightful. This paper firstly conceptualizes a range of recent literature through inductive coding and proposes a new conceptual framework of current social media uses. Secondly, the framework is applied to a case study of a multi-hazard disaster: which are predicted to grow in severity and frequency due to climate change, alongside increased habitation of at-risk zones. Storm Desmond 2015 has been selected. Snowball sampling is used to identify networks of interest, and thematic analysis used to track changes in Twitter content over time. Web accessibility and information reliability issues are presented and discussed.

Case Studies of Exceptional People: What Can They Teach Us?

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Colby
Keyword(s):  
Civil Rights ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Case Material ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Moral Commitment ◽  
Over Time

Abstract This article describes the use of the case study method for the investigation of exceptional moral commitment. William Damon and I used the case study method in this research because we were interested in sustained, long-term moral commitment and in the transformation of moral goals over time within the context of life histories, social relationships, and other influences. The study yielded in-depth life history interviews with 23 people who were selected for having worked for many years to address such issues as civil rights, poverty, and peace. Case material was used to illustrate and flesh out a theoretical account of a developmental process called the transformation of goals through social influence. The use of 23 diverse cases also allowed us to identify common characteristics that cut across the interviews. The three main themes that emerged from the case material were certainty, positivity, and unity of self and moral goals. (Psychology; Human Development; Case Study)

Change in residual limb size over time in the NU-FlexSIV socket: A case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 620-625
Author(s):  
Stefania Fatone ◽  
Jessica Yohay ◽  
Ryan Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Internal Surface ◽  
Residual Limb ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Over Time

Background: This case study represented a unique opportunity wherein a long-time user of sub-ischial sockets had kept nearly every socket he wore for a decade. This individual let us borrow these sockets so we could digitize them and indirectly assess change in residual limb size over time by calculating changes in socket volume and circumferences over time. Case Description and Methods: Over a decade, the subject maintained a relatively stable body weight of 84–88 kg and received nine sub-ischial sockets. The internal surface of each socket was scanned using a mechanical digitizer and volume and circumferences calculated. Findings and Outcomes: Socket volume increased 31.3%, from a low of 2659.2 cm3 for the oldest socket to a high of 3490.6 cm3 for the most recent socket. Proximal circumferences increased more than distal circumferences with a 15.9% total increase proximally versus 8.9% total increase distally. Discussion and Conclusion: The results suggest that this individual’s residual limb increased in size over time despite the compressive effect of the socket and liner. In addition, the increase in circumference was greater proximally than distally, which is where the remaining muscle bellies are located. Clinical relevance This case study provides insight into the long-term effect of the sub-ischial socket on residual limb volume given compression of the soft tissues by the socket system.

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