Resilience-Building Technologies: State of Knowledge -- ReSIST NoE Deliverable D12

This document is the first product of work package WP2, "Resilience-building and -scaling technologies", in the programme of jointly executed research (JER) of the ReSIST Network of Excellenc

Assessing Electoral Process Challenges Through Poll Workers\u27 Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa-Togo

Contenders disputing electoral results in Sub-Saharan African countries often attribute defects in presidential electoral processes to the implementation of rules and procedures. Yet despite the considerable decision-making authority poll workers are entrusted with and the significance of the tasks performed by therm, scholars have not closely investigated poll workers\u27contributions to elections\u27 management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using principal-agent theory as the foundation, the purpose of this case study was to examine the challenges encountered in the organization of the presidential election in Togo, held on April 25, 2015, with a particular emphasis on poll workers\u27 job performance. Research questions focused on whether poll workers in Togo have the ability and the resources necessary to carry out quality elections and the perceived effects of poll workers\u27 performance on the integrity of the presidential electoral process. Data were obtained from interviews with 11 purposely selected poll workers and review of social media audio and video records of the election. These data were inductively coded and subjected to thematic analysis. A key finding was that deficiencies in poll workers\u27 performance reflect a complex interplay of ill-conceived legal framework, lack of infrastructure, poor training, personal ineptitude, underfunding, partisanship, and tribalism. Further findings indicated that poll workers performing poorly resulted in long lines of voters, voter suppression, inaccuracies in vote counts, and delay in results announcement. Implications for positive social change include election practitionners\u27 increased awareness that improving the quality of service delivery to voters on election day may foster confidence in and legitimacy of election results, seen as prerequisite to peaceful presidential elections in this part of the world

The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry\u27s Supply Chain Management Strategies

Indian pharmaceutical companies spend one-third of their revenue from supply chain management (SCM) activities due to inherently poor transportation infrastructure. SCM is a vital function for many companies, as it is usually employed to lower expenses and increase sales for the company. SCM costs are higher in India than they are in other areas of the world, amounting to 13% of India\u27s GDP. The purpose of this study was to explore SCM strategies Indian business leaders in the pharmaceutical industry have used to reduce the high costs associated with SCM. This study used a single case study research design and semistructured interviews to collect data from 3 SCM business leaders working in Indian pharmaceutical organizations and possessing successful experience in using SCM strategies to reduce high costs. Goldratt\u27s (1990) theory of constraints was used as the conceptual framework for this study to identify challenges associated with SCM strategies. Data from semistructured interviews, observations, and company documents were processed and analyzed using data source triangulation, grouping the raw data into key themes. The following 3 themes emerged: distribution and logistics challenges, impact of SCM processes, and best practices and solutions. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce supply chain risk, which could lead to lower product prices for consumers, increased stakeholder satisfaction, and a higher standard of living

Why Don’t Judges Case Manage?

The problems of cost and delay experienced by parties seeking civil justice have been the subject of complaints for nearly one hundred years, going back to the days of Roscoe Pound. In the past few years, court leadership across the country has emphasized judicial case management as a significant tool for delivery of cost-effective, fair, and timely civil justice. The declining civil caseload has brought new urgency to these problems as evidence grows that litigants are deserting the civil justice system. Calls for case management to contain cost and delay have come from the Chief Justice of the United States, the Conference of Chief Justices, state bar and Supreme Court commissions, and the American Bar Association. The continuing demand for case management in virtually every lawyer survey, state bar commission, task force, and civil justice report over recent years evidences that judicial case management is not occurring on a day-to-day basis in today’s civil courtrooms. Notwithstanding broad calls for judicial case management, most judges still don’t case manage—if they did, calls for case management would not be persistent and relentless. If court leaders are going to rely on civil case management as a critical tool in improving civil justice, it is critical to understand how judges in everyday courtrooms view civil case management and how to best encourage its utilization. This thesis reports the results of an empirical investigation by survey into judicial attitudes among Florida circuit civil trial judges regarding utilization of case management in the handling of civil disputes in courts of general jurisdiction. The results of surveying Florida circuit judges demonstrate that the lack of widespread civil case management is less a deliberate choice due to resistance or philosophical objection than it is a product of the lack of a definition of what “civil case management” means and the scope of that task, a perceived lack of time and support, and a failure to incentivize its adoption through data sharing and performance measures. Through this research, I hope to provide one state’s perspective on this challenge to provide guidance to my state and others in implementing this cultural shift across civil justice

Language as a marker of CEO transition and company performance

textAn increasing number of researchers are beginning to explore leadership effectiveness in the context of language. To gain a better understanding of what constitutes an effective leader, particularly in the context of transition (exiting or entering leadership role), the current project examined Chief Executive Officer (CEO) language use in quarterly conference calls and its' association with company performance. Three research questions were asked: 1) What language patterns are associated with an outgoing CEO versus an incoming CEO? 2) To what degree does CEO language change depending on whether company performance increases or decreases in the year prior to exiting tenure or subsequent to their entering tenure 3) To what degree does CEO language predict company performance and company performance predict language use? In order to answer these questions, language use in the question and answer portion of quarterly conference calls was examined for 215 companies in the year prior to old CEO departure and in the first year for new CEO. Computerized text analysis was used to examine language associated with self-focus, other-focus, and positive and negative affect. Results suggest that old and new CEOs use distinctive language patterns when they are entering and exiting their leadership positions. Language was found to predict company performance and company performance was found to predict language. The current project points to the power of language as a tool to explore leadership effectiveness in the context of transition. Specifically, language analysis can help identify degree of old CEO detachment and new CEO assimilation within their company. In addition, language can be used as a marker of company performance.Psycholog

An assessment of the multi-disciplinary approach to investigate corruption in the South African public service

The aim of this study is to assess the multi-disciplinary approach in the investigation of corruption in the South African public service. Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews conducted with members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Anti-Corruption Task Team to gain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences regarding the effectiveness of the Anti-Corruption Task Team in the investigation of corruption within the public service. In addition, the researcher conducted a comprehensive literature study of local and international legislation to curb corruption, supplemented with various multi-disciplinary approaches employed internationally. Furthermore, various global Anti-Corruption Agencies were studied to comprehend their functions and efficacy. The findings of the research identified and described various impediments facing the Anti-Corruption Task Team’s effectiveness in investigating corruption within the public service. As a result, this study recommends the need to establish a single Anti-Corruption Agency with a comprehensive mandate to prevent, investigate, and educate on corruption, to critically safeguard the independence of the Anti-Corruption Task Team against political interference, as well as the allocation of adequate resources and budget for its effective operation. The research identified best practices globally to combat corruption, which can be used to amend the current anti-corruption practices to suit the South African public service. Consequently, this study contributes significantly towards effective anti-corruption investigation in the South African public service.Maikemišetšo a dinyakišišo tše ke go lekola mokgwa wa go kopanya dikarolo tše mmalwa tša thuto go nyakišiša bomenetša ka ditirelong tša setšhaba tša Afrika Borwa. Data e kgobokeditšwe ka mokgwa wa dipoledišano tše di tletšego tšeo di dirilwego le maloko a Sehlophatšhomo sa Twantšho ya Bomenetša sa Ofisi ya Molaodimogolo wa Dinyakišišo tša Bosenyi bjo Bogolo go hwetša kwešišo ya maitemogelo a bona a go šoma ga Sehlophatšhomo sa Twantšho ya Bomenetša mo go nyakišišeng bomenetša mo ditirelong tša setšhaba. Go tlaleletše, monyakišiša o dirile dinyakišišo tše di tletšego tša dingwalwa tša peomolao ya gae le ya ditšhabatšhaba tšeo maikemišetšo a tšona e lego go fokotša bomenetša le mekgwa ya go kopanya dikarolo tše mmalwa tša thuto yeo e dirišwago ditšhabatšhabeng. Go tlaleletša, mekgatlo ya twantšho ya bomenetša bja lefase ya go fapana e nyakišišitšwe go kwešiša mešomo le mehola ya yona. Monyakišiši o utollotše le go hlaloša mapheko a go fapana go moholo wa dinyakišišo ka Sehlophatšhomo sa Twantšho ya Bomenetša mo bomenetšeng ka ditirelong tša mmušo. Ka lebaka leo, dinyakišišo di digela tlhokego ya go thoma mokgatlo o tee wa go lwantšha bomenetša wa taolela ye kgolo ya go thibela, go nyakišiša le go ruta ka ga bomenetša; go šireletša boikemelo bja sehlophatšhomo sa twantšho ya bomenetša le go thibela go tsenatsena ga dipolotiki; le go aba methopo yeo e lekanego le ditekanetšo gore e šome gabotse. Dinyakišišo di utollotše tirišo ye botse go feta ka moka lefaseng ka moka go lwantšha bomenetša, yeo e swanetšwego go mpshafatšwa go fihlelela dinyakwa tša ditirelo tša setšhaba tša Afrika Borwa.Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuhlola inqubo ebandakanya amadisiplini ehlukene ukuphenyisisa ngenkohlakalo kwezezimali kumkhakha wabasebenzi bakahulumeni eNingizimu Afrika. Idata iqoqwe ngokwenza ama-interview ajulile enziwe nabethimba elilwisana nezinkohlakalo kwezezimali, i-Anti-Corruption Task team lwabophiko lwabenza uphenyiso lobugebengu obukhulu lwe-Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation ukuthola ukuqondisisa okujulile ngezipiliyoni zabo ngokusebenza ngendlela enomphumela kwethimba le-Anti-Corruption Task Team ekuphenyisiseni ngenkohlakalo kwezezimali kumkhakha wabasebenzi bakahulumeni. Nangaphezu kwalokho, umcwaningi uye wafunda ngokujulile ngemibhalo yocwaningo imibhalo yemithetho yezwe kanye nemithetho yamazwe omhlaba enenhloso yokulwisana nenkohlakalo kwezezimali, kanye nezinqubo ezihlanganisa amadisiplini ehlukene ezisetshenziswa kumazwe omhlaba. Nangaphezu kwalokho, ama-ejensi omhlaba alwa nezinkohlakalo nawo kwafundwa ngawo ukuqondisisa imisebenzi yawo kanye nemiphumela yemisebenzi yawo. Umcwaningi waphawula kanye nokuchaza izihibe ezihlukene maqondana nokusebenza ngendlela enomphumela kophenyisiso olwenziwa ngabethimba le-Anti-Corruption Task Team kwinkohlakalo kwezeziali emkhakheni wabasebenzi bakahulueni. Ngenxa yalokhu, ucwaningo luncoma isidingo sokuthi kusungulwe i-ejensi eyodwa enamagunya ajulile okuvimbela, ukuphenyisisa kanye nokufundisa ngezindlela zokulwa nenkohlakalo kwezezimali; ukuvikela ukuzimela kwethimba lokulwa nenkohlakalo kanye nokuvimbela ukuthi ithimba lingaphazanyiswa ngabezepolitiki; kanye nokuhlinzeka ngemithombo eyenele kanye namabhajethi ukuze ithimba lisebenze kahle ngendlela enomphumela. Ucwaningo luphawule izindlela ezingcono kuwo wonke umhlaba zokulwa nenkohlakalo kwezezimali, kanti futhi lezi zinqubo kumele zichitshiyelwe noma zihlelwe kabusha ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zomkhakha wabasebenzi bakahulumeni eNingizimu Afrika. Kanti-ke futhi emuva kwalokho, lolu cwaningo luthela esivivaneni kuphenyisiso olunomphumela lokulwa nenkohlakalo kwezezimali okwenziwa kumkhakha wabasebenzi bakahulumeni eNingizimu Afrika.Criminology and Security SciencePh. D. (Criminal Justice

The future of Cybersecurity in Italy: Strategic focus area

This volume has been created as a continuation of the previous one, with the aim of outlining a set of focus areas and actions that the Italian Nation research community considers essential. The book touches many aspects of cyber security, ranging from the definition of the infrastructure and controls needed to organize cyberdefence to the actions and technologies to be developed to be better protected, from the identification of the main technologies to be defended to the proposal of a set of horizontal actions for training, awareness raising, and risk management

School improvement in Tanzania:school culture and the management of change.

From a critical humanist perspective I explore why and how under adverse material and social\ud conditions some Tanzanian state primary schools manage to improve their educational\ud provision. I focus specifically on the influence of staff attitudes and behaviours on the change\ud management process, as school culture is thought to affect school improvement success, and\ud change is prerequisite to improvement. Fieldwork took place in Dodoma from August 2003 to\ud May 2005 in two urban primary schools, considered locally to be improving. I combined two\ud methodological approaches: action research in the context of case study. Collection of mainly\ud qualitative data focussed on the societal and systemic influences that shaped the schools'\ud organisational cultures, and on the reciprocal relationship between these cultures and the way\ud staff managed self-instigated and externally imposed improvement initiatives. Action research\ud enabled my involvement in the change processes, contributing to concrete improvements,\ud generating process knowledge, and supporting staff.\ud Achievable school improvement depended crucially on limited available space for change, the\ud core of which was insufficient staff motivation and capabilities. Under hierarchical conditions\ud and in accordance with local perceptions of relevance, successful management of change\ud required a combination of dependable leadership, cooperation, communication and close staff\ud supervision. However, the improvements remained limited to incidents of enhanced\ud effectiveness, compatible with, if not consolidating, the existing school cultures. No space was\ud created for more comprehensive transformations, requiring fundamental organisational and\ud attitudinal change. The quality of school management and pedagogy therefore remained\ud severely under-developed. Even though systemic endorsement of school autonomy and\ud enrichment of school conditions are unlikely to happen soon, committed school managers can\ud expand existing space for change through concentrating on their school's cultures. They can\ud challenge existing pedagogical and managerial values and practices, and entrust collaborating\ud staff with genuine freedom and responsibility to enhance the school's quality

October 26, 2017

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Small Business Sustainability for Longer Than 5 Years

Over half the U.S. labor force is employed by small business owners, yet only 50% of small businesses survive beyond 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore sustainability strategies small business owners in the construction industry used to sustain their organization for longer than 5 years. The research population included 5 owners of small businesses in the construction industry in Georgia, who have been in operation for a minimum of 5 years. The conceptual framework for this study was general systems theory. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, organizational documentation reviews, and business plan reviews. Yin\u27s (2014) 4 principles of data collection were used to collect the data: use multiple sources of evidence, create a case study database, maintain a chain of evidence, and exercise care when using data from electronic sources. Data were triangulated using Yin\u27s 5-step analysis process: collecting data, grouping data into codes, grouping data into themes, assessing the themes, and developing conclusions. Member checking, transcript review, and triangulation of data were used to further validate the study. The 4 themes that emerged from the study were internal relationships, building the brand, specialization, and planning. The implications of the study for positive social change include the potential for small businesses in the construction industry to survive for longer than 5 years and to increase the number of individuals employed