Research approach. Initial preparation Prior to beginning the field research I undertook an initial investigation into transnational networks operating in the areas of study. Using databases compiled by the Mexican and Salvadoran embassies, and conducting numerous web searches, I was able to locate potential organizations in Washington DC and California. I also initiated informal conversations with prominent members of Salvadoran and Mexican communities who were an invaluable source of background information on cross-border movements, transnational organizations operating in the areas of study, and other relevant issues. These individuals were also able to provide contacts within transnational organizations. They included a priest at a Catholic Church in the Columbia Heights area of Washington DC, a social worker who assists Salvadoran youth and their families, and community activists with significant experience campaigning for immigrant rights and facilitating immigrant access to adequate healthcare and housing. I also consulted a number of migration scholars to gain an insight and better understanding of their approach to studying transnational organizations. Research design When initiating the research design, I decided to adopt a qualitative approach as the primary method of gathering relevant information and data, believing that this approach could provide a more detailed, in- depth examination of individual experiences (Xxxxx, 2000; Xxxxx and Xxxxx, 2005; Xxxxx, 1996; Xxxxxxxx, 1996). I felt that a qualitative research methodology would help to reveal important insights – the backgrounds of respondents, for instance, or their motivations, desires and reservations – that I suspected could have an important bearing on transnational mobilization. I decided that the most direct way of eliciting qualitative information was through interviews and so pursued respondent interviews as my main source of information. In order to gather consistent information and data across sampled individuals I opted for semi-structured interviews (Hill et al., 2005). To guard against an overly rigid investigation, which I felt could potentially stifle rapport between interviewer and interviewee, I opted for open-ended questions that would allow respondents the freedom to elaborate on their answers and influence the direction that interviews assumed. This approach, I initially thought, would provide a more productive interaction and generate more valuable insights.
Research approach. This research primarily follows a case study approach to study the 1997 CHT Accord and its following conflict transformation process for a period of post- accord 20 years (1997-2017). This case study helps us to conduct a critical analysis of peace accord implementation and its impacts to peacebuilding and conflict transformation process. In social science, case study is considered as a flexible approach to understand issues and complexities around a ‘case’ or social phenomenon (Xxxxx, 1997). This approach is exploratory in nature, which seeks causal relations of diverse social phenomena (Yin, 2014). This causal relationship does not appear merely in descriptive nature, instead is more oriented to the phenomenon and real world context (Gray, 2009). As an empirical inquiry, it studies a “phenomenon (the ‘case’) in depth” and in detail, but explores many themes and subjects by focusing on limited range of people, organisations or contexts (Yin, 2014:16). Although the case study method epistemologically has an orientation towards ‘realist perspective’, it also accommodates ‘relativist perspective’ that recognizes multiple realities, dependent to observers (Yin, 2014:17). However, the case study method is suitable when research question starts mainly with ‘how’ and ‘why’ wherein the researcher has limited control (Gray, 2009). In this inductive approach, the research begins with a set of provisional research questions or hypothesis, connected to lead question. The strategy that the case study follows for data collection and data analysis allows reformulation of hypothesis and questions, when required (Xxxxxx, 2012:566). A case study research can use a variety of data collection methods and techniques including analysis of administrative documents, records and publications, in-depth interviews, structured survey, participant observation, and consultation of wider secondary data and evidences for detailed examination and analysis of the case (Xxxxx, 1997). This research applies a mixed methods approach to answer CHT case specific questions to track the accord implementation and its following conflict transformation process. The sources of information include a mixture of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) of different stakeholders and consultation of different secondary resources. Both primary and secondary data are used for answering research questions and substantiating study findings. The KIIs has allowed us to collect primary data from different stakeholders’ s...
Research approach. The Media Equation states that people treat computers, and related media, as if they were people [3]. Based upon this work of Nass and colleagues, our approach is to first identify what people do, implement similar behaviors on a robot, and evaluate whether human norms hold for human-robot interaction. We do not expect that human normative behavior will unequivocally carry over to normative robot behavior, however, we will use it as a starting point. Based upon a literature review and a contextual analysis (systematic observa- tion of what really happens), we will design and implement normative behaviors for a robot. These behaviors will first be tested in lab studies, followed by exper- iments at the site of the industrial partner; the airport in order to get an idea of the experiences of the passengers. To get insight in the experiences of passengers at the airport, we can employ several methods for user studies. Examples include self-reported questionnaires, coding of video data and analysis of one’s galvanic skin response. For our experiments, we will primarily collect video data, as well as subjective questionnaires or -interviews. Objective video data makes it easy to capture certain behavioral responses from multiple people in a short time. However, legal and organizational issues (such as privacy and security) could hinder this method when used outside the lab. Interviews and questionnaires should be able to capture the required data in only a few questions, given that passengers will be likely be in a hurry. These languages should be unambiguous for passengers with di↵erent cultures; this raises the question if the language should be native, or universal (read: English). Di↵erent languages would require multiple iterations of translation and back translation to ensure the questions truly ask the same. In light of the issues described above we may have to rethink our data col- lection methods. This also holds for the data the robot collects for its own per- ception. Prior to evaluation in a real-world setting, behavior will be evaluated in a more controlled setting. This could be in a lab setting as for example in [1, 4], but also by other ways, for instance by using videos of a robot interacting with people [5]. 4 Conclusion In this extended abstract we have described challenges from a socio-psychological point of view when a robot interacts with users at an airport. We argue the it is especially important to convey the robot’s intentions toward u...
Research approach. The study team has collected and analysed information pertinent to sites that report under the IPPC, EU ETS and EEMS mechanisms, to explore the available information on reporting scope and plant design. The study team consulted with: DECC Oil & Gas, regulators for the EEMS reporting system; Oil & Gas UK, the trade association representing the oil and gas exploration and production industry; DECC EU ETS Environment Agency, SEPA and NIEA contacts (industry sector leads, registry staff, permit administrators for IPPC and EU ETS) UK Petroleum Industries Association (UKPIA) for refinery data clarifications; Individual site Process Engineers and Site Inspectors, to clarify specific data reporting scope details A large part of the work has involved communication with environmental regulators, most notably the IPPC permit registry teams within local offices of the Environment Agency, SEPA and NIEA to obtain permit and application documentation through a combination of emailed electronic files and site visits to registry offices to view and scan/copy available files for specific sites. An initial scoping analysis compared the available site CO2 emissions data between IPPC, EU ETS and EEMS (for sites reporting to EEMS) to identify the priority sites where greatest data discrepancies were evident. This review of the AEA point source database helped to identify priority sites within the refinery, oil & gas terminal and co-located petrochemical sites, as well as a handful of other sites in the chemical and non-ferrous metal industries. The AEA inventory team has used old copies of IPC and early IPPC permits as installation reference sources for a number of years, and the access to updated site records (via current IPPC permits) was necessary to enable site-specific analysis and inventory improvement to progress. The site visit to NIEA offices in Belfast enabled a comprehensive collection of the available IPPC and EU ETS permits and site records, regardless of the economic sector; within this study we have only reviewed and summarised the permits from the highest- emitting sites in Northern Ireland such as the power stations and cement kilns. The analysis has involved site-by-site comparison of reported emissions together with review of the available permits and information on emission reporting scope under IPPC, EU ETS and (for oil and gas terminals) EEMS. The use of these different data in compiling the AEA point source database has previously been based o...
Research approach. This research adopts a comparative approach to international law. It considers the international law on foreign investment as part of public international law, and therefore, it adheres to a systemic approach to international law as a ‘single and ‘unified’ body of law.74 According to the ILC, ‘international law is a legal system and that its rules and principles act in relation to, and should be interpreted against the background of, other rules and principles’.75 This research thus looks at international law as a cohesive system where each branch may overlap or complement the other – a view taken by various investor-state tribunals including most notably in the landmark case of AAPL v.
Research approach. 2.1 Overall Approach To ensure consistency with previous rounds of research, BDRC Continental will follow the same methodology (postal), using an identical set of questionnaires. Our approach will be underpinned by the following principles: Maintaining consistency and comparability with previous research; Improving response rates without damaging this comparability.
Research approach. Conduct more in-depth analyses to determine the major causes of malnutrition in this part of Africa and identify policy measures that can reduce it. Carry out additional field surveys in Mali to provide complementary data to the original data set. Develop analyses of similar issues for other countries in Africa using existing secondary information. Draw implications from such analyses for various government and donor programs such as targeted food subsidies. Diffuse the results of these analyses to A.I.D. officials, African decision makers, and African food security researchers. This diffusion will include training Sahelian food security researchers in the methods needed to carry out such analyses.
Research approach. Conduct rapid market appraisals in selected markets to understand effects of recent market adjustments. Later to survey traders and farmers in these market areas on effects of changes in rules and government policies. Establish a pilot market information system in 4 urban markets and 3 rural markets (in Naxxxxx Xxxxxxxx).
Research approach. Following the review of literature and a workshop to discuss methods of choosing and undertaking the country studies, three countries (Kenya, Malawi, Mali) were chosen for Phase I studies, and four other countries (Cameroon, Niger, Uganda, Zambia) were chosen for Phase II studies. Short- term studies (five months or less) were conducted in Cameroon, Kenya (maize), Malawi, and Niger; long-term studies (twelve months or more) were conducted in Kenya (wheat), Mali, Uganda, and Zambia.
Research approach. In this study I will follow a post-positivist paradigm which, according to Xxxxx (2011), defines researchers as not being able to consider themselves as “totally objective and disinterested outsiders” (p. 5). Researchers have to admit being a part of the reality, which in turn means that their subjectivity might influence the research findings (Xxxxx, 2011). However, they have to do their best in order to minimize that influence. Thus, a quantitative research design within a post-positivist paradigm was chosen to answer the main research questions of this study.
