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Title: "THE IMPACT OF POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN SECONDARY ONLINE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL".
Creator: McPherson, Rhonda, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the...
Show moreFlorida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the organization from 1997-2007. The use of institutional theory as the guiding framework for this study proved to be beneficial and enabled the researcher to conclude which types of policy are the most effective in increasing student success in the secondary online education environment. This study utilized ANOVA and regression analysis to detect whether or not changes in policy at the organizational and federal level have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment. This study reveals that student success at FLVS is consistently decreasing and that the change is statistically significant. Regression analysis found that the policy changes at FLVS in this study explain some of the variance detected in the change in the mean, or GPA, of the school. This study found that both coercive and mimetic policies have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment as identified in the isomorphic mechanisms outlined in institutional theory. This study is important to the field of literature regarding secondary online education in that it opens the discussion regarding types of policy and the potential impact that policy changes have on student success in the secondary online education environment. In addition, this study serves as a framework upon which future studies can be conducted and are recommended in this study.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002423, ucf:47741
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002423

Title: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER POLICIES ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
Creator: Nickell, Kyra, Dillon, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Domestic violence shelters can vary greatly in the services available to victims and their families. The funding shelters receive can impact the shelter's ability to provide specialized services. Since the availability of services might vary from shelter to shelter, victims can have different experiences based on their location. This cross-sectional study contacted representatives from nine shelters in the State of Florida and asked the representatives nine questions about the services which...
Show moreDomestic violence shelters can vary greatly in the services available to victims and their families. The funding shelters receive can impact the shelter's ability to provide specialized services. Since the availability of services might vary from shelter to shelter, victims can have different experiences based on their location. This cross-sectional study contacted representatives from nine shelters in the State of Florida and asked the representatives nine questions about the services which are available at their respective shelter. The findings from this research show that these nine shelters offer a greater number of services than the study expected. However, there is still a need to better fund domestic violence shelters so that these services can be available to every victim, no matter where the victim resides.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004826, ucf:45488
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004826

Title: Transitioning from a Monolingual to a Dual Language Program: A Case Study of an Elementary School.
Creator: Davies, Alex, Nutta, Joyce, Regalla, Michele, Mihai, Florin, Johnson, Jerry, Biraimah, Karen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of administrators, teachers, and parents from an elementary school that was in its first year of dual language transition. The majority of past studies conducted on dual language education focused on students' linguistic and academic outcomes (Lindholm-Leary, 2012). Studies investigating dual language schools' planning, policies, and classroom implementation are significantly less, and those that have, were at schools that were already...
Show moreThis qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of administrators, teachers, and parents from an elementary school that was in its first year of dual language transition. The majority of past studies conducted on dual language education focused on students' linguistic and academic outcomes (Lindholm-Leary, 2012). Studies investigating dual language schools' planning, policies, and classroom implementation are significantly less, and those that have, were at schools that were already functioning as dual language with the intent to examine what made the school successful (Alan(&)#237;s (&) Rodr(&)#237;guez, 2008; Freeman, 1996; Hunt, 2011). Through a phenomenological and case study approach, the current study examined the overall effect that transitioning from a monolingual to a dual language school had on the school culture with foci placed on the curricular and policy planning at the macro-level and its implementation at the micro-level. The study collected data from a variety of sources, including classroom observations, documents, photographs, and interviews with the school's principal, dual language teachers, and parents of the dual language program. Qualitative coding cycles concluded the following four themes, listed alphabetically: (a) classroom language use and second language differentiation, (b) dual language support, (c) language policy and curriculum development, and (d) teachers' dispositions on dual language teaching. This study highlighted the importance of inclusive leadership when planning a new dual language program. Additionally, the study shed light on the implementation process of the planned dual language program in which teachers need flexibility to adjust the language and curricular policies that were established at the macro-level. ?
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007167, ucf:52252
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007167

Title: The Effect of the Great Recession on Local Goverment Policy in Florida.
Creator: Levey, Richard, Martin, Lawrence, Zhang, Ning, Lawther, Wendell, Hawkins, Christopher, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The length and depth of the Great Recession of 2008 provides an opportunity to examine the policy behavior of local governments unlike any window since the 1930's post Depression era. Utilizing Peterson's (1981) City Limits typology as a framework for local government policy allows for an evaluation of whether or not the economic downturn caused local governments to change their relative expenditures between policy categories. The City Limits typology has been widely used in the literature to...
Show moreThe length and depth of the Great Recession of 2008 provides an opportunity to examine the policy behavior of local governments unlike any window since the 1930's post Depression era. Utilizing Peterson's (1981) City Limits typology as a framework for local government policy allows for an evaluation of whether or not the economic downturn caused local governments to change their relative expenditures between policy categories. The City Limits typology has been widely used in the literature to explain how expenditures define a local government's role in economic development. The typology has had limited use in a pre-post natural experimental research design to determine if a local government has 'shifted' policy priorities as measured by changes in expenditures among and between policy categories. This research design and the use Peterson's framework combine for a study that has not yet been conducted under similar conditions.Most of the existing literature, including the research from the 1980's, failed to account for inter-state differences that directly affect local government expenditures and policy. Concentrating solely on Florida local governments, this study eliminates the confounding nature of a national study and ensures that the unit of analysis is comparable for research purposes. The study utilizes actual expenditure data for all cities and counties in Florida from FY2006 through FY2011. The research tests for the relationships between changes in policy priorities from pre- to post-recession, and the type of government, form of government, and various socio-economic factors.The research contributes to a new body of knowledge that is just beginning to emerge in the literature about how local governments respond to periods of extreme fiscal stress. The findings suggest that cities and counties had an inverse response from pre- to post-recession with cities shifting toward developmental expenditures and counties prioritizing allocational spending. Differences were also found between forms of government. In addition, the density of population was found to contribute differently to shifts in expenditures for cities and counties. The study identifies emerging patterns that can help local governments understand past behavior and better anticipate future economic downturns.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005971, ucf:50782
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005971

Title: On Obama Administration Gun Policy With Continual Reference To The Multiple Streams Model.
Creator: Hristakopoulos, Michael, Vieux, Andrea, Wilson, Bruce, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Multiple Streams model developed by John Kingdon (1995) and Nikolaos Zahariadis (2007) provides a valuable framework for understanding the nature of policy change. This investigation draws extensively upon the Multiple Streams framework in order to understand the development of gun-control policy initiatives under President Barack Obama.The investigation uses a case-study approach with in-depth analysis of four different mass-shooting events that took place in the United States between...
Show moreThe Multiple Streams model developed by John Kingdon (1995) and Nikolaos Zahariadis (2007) provides a valuable framework for understanding the nature of policy change. This investigation draws extensively upon the Multiple Streams framework in order to understand the development of gun-control policy initiatives under President Barack Obama.The investigation uses a case-study approach with in-depth analysis of four different mass-shooting events that took place in the United States between 2009 and 2012. Reconstruction of the shooting events and detailed parsing of the Obama administration's official responses to each incident, when viewed through the Multiple Streams lens, clearly explain why Obama's aggressive policy initiative was so delayed in its emergence in spite of several shootings and the President's clearly stated belief that gun-reform was a necessary step for the federal government. While the term (")policy change(") is broad and may encompass all sorts of governmental responsiveness, the term herein should be interpreted in the narrowest sense: exclusively encompassing legislative initiatives.Ultimately, the investigation concludes that numerous factors, but most prominently concerns about the timing and results of the 2010 Midterm and 2012 General Elections, prevented an aggressive pursuit of gun-reform prior to January 2013. The tragic shooting of 28 people in Newtown, Connecticut, then served as a prime focusing event for the President to aggressively engage a long-standing goal.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004865, ucf:49716
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004865

Title: Poverty and deprivation in the United States: The plight of two-fifths of a nation.
Creator: Conference on Economic Progress (U.S.)
Date Issued: 1962
Identifier: 2072203, CFDT2072203, ucf:4892
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2072203

Title: " Welfare state" or socialism?.
Creator: Preis, Art
Date Issued: 1950
Identifier: 2683061, CFDT2683061, ucf:5015
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2683061

Title: EDUCATION POLICY IN FLORIDA: EXPLAINING COUNTY-LEVEL APPROVAL OF THE 2002 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Creator: Friant, Rachel M., Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety...
Show moreThis research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety of socioeconomic, demographic and political independent variables are tested. Four independent variables had a statistically significant positive relationship with support for both VPK and CSA: Democratic registration, Hispanic population, higher education, and population density.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000217, ucf:46060
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000217

Title: TRANSFERRING JUVENILES TO THE ADULT COURT: A FACTORIAL SURVEY OF FLORIDA PROSECUTORS.
Creator: King, Robin, Applegate, Brandon, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Prosecutors have enormous discretion in the criminal justice system. Their decisions can ultimately impact and shape the course of the lives of the offenders whom they prosecute. This is certainly true for juvenile offenders considered for transfer to the adult court. Previous research indicates that serious, violent offenders are the most likely to be transferred to the adult court. However, very little is known on prosecutors' views of the role of the juvenile court, the process of...
Show moreProsecutors have enormous discretion in the criminal justice system. Their decisions can ultimately impact and shape the course of the lives of the offenders whom they prosecute. This is certainly true for juvenile offenders considered for transfer to the adult court. Previous research indicates that serious, violent offenders are the most likely to be transferred to the adult court. However, very little is known on prosecutors' views of the role of the juvenile court, the process of transfer or the facts that influence their decision to transfer a juvenile to the adult court. A statewide survey of 800 Florida prosecutors was implemented using factorial vignettes. The results indicate that prosecutors support the idea of transfer generally, particularly when they are making the final determination to transfer to the adult court. Further, prosecutors indicate that juvenile transfer should be used sparingly, in extreme cases that are not appropriate to the resources of the juvenile court. The data were also examined to determine the effect of juvenile offender and juvenile offense characteristics on the decision to transfer a juvenile to the adult court. Analysis revealed several significant predictors of preference for transfer: age, threat to society, presence of a violent offense, ethnicity of juvenile, presence of prior adjudications, and amenability to treatment.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001266, ucf:46937
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001266

Title: EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY CHANGEON TASER UTILIZATIONS.
Creator: Miller, Michael, Holmes, Stephen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of organizational policy changes within the Use-of-Force Continuum on taser usage and officer's perceptions of taser effectiveness. Tasers have been used by police since the 1970s and their use is increasing as the technology has improved. Data reveals that tasers are beneficial for controlling non-compliant suspects while preventing serious injuries and rarely has their use resulted in death. Much of the public controversy surrounding...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of organizational policy changes within the Use-of-Force Continuum on taser usage and officer's perceptions of taser effectiveness. Tasers have been used by police since the 1970s and their use is increasing as the technology has improved. Data reveals that tasers are beneficial for controlling non-compliant suspects while preventing serious injuries and rarely has their use resulted in death. Much of the public controversy surrounding tasers centers on when and how often officers deploy them. Use of force data from 890 police citizen encounters during a two-year period was analyzed to examine how changes in organizational policy have affected taser deployments and how policy changes have affected taser use. The study's findings support that after the policy change, the frequency of taser use by officers decreased, while the levels of suspect resistance encountered by officers increased. The frequency and severity of suspect injuries did not change and the numbers of officers injured in use-of-force encounters also did not change. Survey response data from officers were compared to archival data, which revealed that while officers perceive an increased risk of harm to themselves as a result of the organizational policy change that was not supported in the findings. Officers did not perceive an increased risk of harm to suspects which was supported in the archival data findings. Officers also expressed a belief that the organizational change that placed the taser at a higher level on the Use-of-Force Continuum is appropriate for most use-of-force encounters. This study concludes with future directions and trends for taser use in law enforcement.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002150, ucf:47501
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002150

Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY IN THE GLOBAL CAPITALIST SYSTEM: A WORLD-SYSTEMS APPROACH AND STUDY OF PANAMA.
Creator: Freeman, Mark, Jacques, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current global capitalist system is at odds with environmental protection and the protection of indigenous people that are directly linked to the land on which they live. In environmental security literature, many have argued that, theoretically and functionally, it is possible to link national security with environmental security. However possible this may be on paper, in practice, the global capitalist system prevents this from becoming a reality. Using a world-systems approach, this...
Show moreThe current global capitalist system is at odds with environmental protection and the protection of indigenous people that are directly linked to the land on which they live. In environmental security literature, many have argued that, theoretically and functionally, it is possible to link national security with environmental security. However possible this may be on paper, in practice, the global capitalist system prevents this from becoming a reality. Using a world-systems approach, this thesis will show that core countries seeking to expand capital by tapping into new markets, locating new sources of raw materials and even forming strategic military partnerships in periphery countries unavoidably degrade the natural environment and thus, adversely affect the lives and health of indigenous people. It is also the argument in this paper that the primary purpose of strategic military partnerships with periphery states, such as those formed in Panama and Colombia, are primarily meant to protect economic interests, thus perpetuating the capitalist cycle. The end result is that, while it is theoretically possible, through a different theoretical lens, to bridge the definitional and theoretical gulf between national security and environmental security, the reality of the system subverts this endeavor, and will continue to do so under its current configuration.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001981, ucf:47425
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001981

Title: USING THE SIX SIGMA POLICY DEPLOYMENT CYCLE TO MITIGATE PROJECT FAILURES.
Creator: Magadi, Archana, Elshennawy, Ahmad, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Many organizations are struggling to improve customer-focused quality in today's highly competitive domestic and global markets. At the same time, these organizations have failed to implement the Six Sigma methodology into their daily control and strategic planning processes. Six Sigma deployment failures have been categorized as coming from many sources, both management related and person related. Some of the key management related Six Sigma project failures have been identified and...
Show moreMany organizations are struggling to improve customer-focused quality in today's highly competitive domestic and global markets. At the same time, these organizations have failed to implement the Six Sigma methodology into their daily control and strategic planning processes. Six Sigma deployment failures have been categorized as coming from many sources, both management related and person related. Some of the key management related Six Sigma project failures have been identified and discussed in this research work. For continuous improvement to truly take root, organizations must realize that just successfully applying quality tools on any process will not necessarily provide dramatic results, unless the concepts of policy management and deployment are institutionalized. A model called "Six Sigma Policy Deployment" was developed and has been proposed which may help mitigate Six Sigma project failures that are presently attributed to management and organizational issues. By integrating Policy Deployment, the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) problem solving approach, and the classic PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) Cycle, the potential for breakthrough improvements in any organization can be enhanced. The model was contrasted against a list of 30 sources of failure in typical Six Sigma projects in order to validate its applicability to mitigate these failures. Furthermore these failures were matched with the work of recent quality theorists in order to validate their occurrence and relevance. A case study section is presented to illustrate FPL's Quality Improvement Program and the Six Sigma Lifecycle, which are bases for the new model. This section also highlights how the use of the proposed Six Sigma Policy Deployment model could help to mitigate potential Six Sigma project failures.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000250, ucf:46236
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000250

Title: REIMAGINING DRUGS: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF U.S. DRUG POLICY FRAMEWORKS AND STUDENT ACTIVISM.
Creator: Sarmento, Megan A, Harris, Shana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As the repercussions of the nearly 50-year U.S. War on Drugs are revealing themselves to be harmful and life-threatening, especially to lower-class and minority populations, social movements aimed at drug policy reform have been on the rise. While today's generation of college students were raised on abstinence-based discourses, which constantly warned and threatened them about the dangers of drug use, these same students often change their perspective, some as early as high school, when they...
Show moreAs the repercussions of the nearly 50-year U.S. War on Drugs are revealing themselves to be harmful and life-threatening, especially to lower-class and minority populations, social movements aimed at drug policy reform have been on the rise. While today's generation of college students were raised on abstinence-based discourses, which constantly warned and threatened them about the dangers of drug use, these same students often change their perspective, some as early as high school, when they begin having their own experiences with drugs and engage in more drug-related conversations. As a result, many students become motivated to change drug policy and education and address the stigma associated with drug use in order to reduce drug-related harm to individuals. This thesis examines the ideas and efforts of students at a university in the southeastern United States who are actively engaged in making these changes. Based on interviews with students involved with two drug policy reform groups in 2018, this thesis highlights the role of student activism in the larger drug policy reform movement. Student activists raise awareness of the need for a critical examination of U.S. drug policy frameworks and their place in this endeavor. I argue that student activists' involvement in the drug policy reform movement is motivated by the numerous disparities they experience and observe in the dominant abstinence-based drug approach. Based on these students' perspectives, I argue for a shift towards a more holistic harm reduction education that aims to increase the quality of care and livelihood for drug users, an accomplishment they believe is inextricable from U.S. policy.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000439, ucf:45742
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000439

Title: "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL": A HISTORY, LEGACY, AND AFTERMATH.
Creator: Wansac, Alexis, Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Though many believe some of the greatest military leaders of all time - from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar - have engaged in sex acts with other males, and though certainly a very different political climate from that of ancient Greece or Rome, the United States military has historically never accepted homosexual sex acts within its own military, nor has the United States military accepted open homosexuals either until recently. This thesis focuses on the evolution of United States...
Show moreThough many believe some of the greatest military leaders of all time - from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar - have engaged in sex acts with other males, and though certainly a very different political climate from that of ancient Greece or Rome, the United States military has historically never accepted homosexual sex acts within its own military, nor has the United States military accepted open homosexuals either until recently. This thesis focuses on the evolution of United States military policy towards homosexuals and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy of the United States military in order to recommend a path that the United States can follow to provide an equal opportunity for success of openly homosexual service members. This research traces the history of policy towards homosexuality in the United States military up through the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and its repeal. This research discusses changing governmental policies towards homosexuals in the military, as well as changing public opinions about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". This research also outlines discharges under the policy, connecting changing public opinion to the policy's eventual repeal. Through the analysis of statistics surrounding discharges, opinion surveys, and anecdotal evidence, this research evaluates the level of acceptance for openly homosexual service members in a post-DADT world. These findings will then be compared with the adjustment of troops in Great Britain and Canada, who each have experienced relative success in the integration of homosexual troops, in order to make a recommendation for a course of action that the United States could take in order to help better the adjustment of soldiers to a non-exclusionary policy.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004487, ucf:45068
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004487

Title: THE EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT ON POLICIES IN THE PREVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Creator: Szczerba, Christopher, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Governments and leaders across the globe almost universally agree that human trafficking is a modern atrocity that has harshly negative effects for individuals, communities, entire states and the international community. Nevertheless, they are not in agreement on how best to investigate cases and provide aid to victims. Many states lack the resources to effectively create and implement policies. Governments must act to protect their citizens and people within their borders. Policies are...
Show moreGovernments and leaders across the globe almost universally agree that human trafficking is a modern atrocity that has harshly negative effects for individuals, communities, entire states and the international community. Nevertheless, they are not in agreement on how best to investigate cases and provide aid to victims. Many states lack the resources to effectively create and implement policies. Governments must act to protect their citizens and people within their borders. Policies are necessary to correctly identify victims, investigate accusations, bring cases to trial and prevent vulnerable populations from becoming victimized through awareness. This thesis asserts that there is a link between the development level of a state and its ability to limit the grotesque crimes of trafficking that occur within its borders. Using the United Nation's annual report which details the development ranking of individual states, it is possible to comparatively analyze the ability of these states to comply with international standards established by the United States of America in the protection of victims of human trafficking. Special attention is paid to the challenges that societies face when there are drastic changes to states' economic activity or political stability and how these affect the frequency of trafficking occurrences and a government's ability to respond.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004579, ucf:45158
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004579

Title: LEGITIMIZING THE "REPUBLICAN MONARCH": A REEXAMINATION OF FRENCH FOREIGN POLICY IN THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE, 1958-1960.
Creator: Fedorka, Drew, Lyons, Amelia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis focuses on the role foreign policy played in legitimizing the early French Fifth Republic from 1958 to 1960. I argue that President Charles de Gaulle employed foreign policy in the service of gaining public support for his new government and the new republic. Many historians have argued previously that his foreign policy of grandeur, as it came to be called, was used to recast international politics and France's role in them. My work diverges from these previous interpretations by...
Show moreThis thesis focuses on the role foreign policy played in legitimizing the early French Fifth Republic from 1958 to 1960. I argue that President Charles de Gaulle employed foreign policy in the service of gaining public support for his new government and the new republic. Many historians have argued previously that his foreign policy of grandeur, as it came to be called, was used to recast international politics and France's role in them. My work diverges from these previous interpretations by arguing that Gaullist foreign policy served, in many instances, overarching domestic goals, not French international interests. I see foreign policy as inseparable from the broader domestic ambition to craft a persuasive narrative of renewal and national unity under Gaullist stewardship. In the process, my study puts de Gaulle's foreign policy into the context of his larger aspiration to precipitate constitutional reform and, thereafter, ensure popular support. De Gaulle exploited opportunities to use foreign policy in order to shape public opinion, both domestically and internationally. These efforts, as my research reflects, helped foster public support for the new regime and, by portraying national renewal, further discredited the preceding Fourth Republic.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004236, ucf:44906
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004236

Title: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE IMMIGRATION POLICY IN ITALY, FRANCE, NORWAY, AND THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.
Creator: Belmonte, Christina, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis analyzes the differing immigration policies and issues within Italy, France and Norway by looking at the factors of historical background, politics, and economics. Each of these factors plays a different role in shaping immigration. Italy with a shift to the center right politically although currently with a technocratic government in power; a large unstable economy; and also a society not quite standardized culturally yet becoming increasingly multi-ethnic with immigration, is...
Show moreThis thesis analyzes the differing immigration policies and issues within Italy, France and Norway by looking at the factors of historical background, politics, and economics. Each of these factors plays a different role in shaping immigration. Italy with a shift to the center right politically although currently with a technocratic government in power; a large unstable economy; and also a society not quite standardized culturally yet becoming increasingly multi-ethnic with immigration, is beginning to become stricter with immigration policy as it has been increasing in recent years. France with a newly left-wing socialist political party in power after a many years of a center right political dominance, a strong economy, and a very nationalist society also has a very strict immigration policy that many view inadequate for the integration of France. Lastly, Norway with a social-democratic labor led party in support of a strong welfare state; a strong economy; and a historical society of relative homogeneity that values equality and individuality, seeks immigration policy to maintain those values and encourage integration. Also, important to note is the role of the European Union which has an effect on all of these countries with many new initiatives to further the integration of immigration within the European Union as well as causing new migration flows with its expansion.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004321, ucf:45029
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004321

Title: AT THE FRONTLINES OF THE KULTURKAMPF: SOCIAL POLICY POSITIONS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT A LARGE UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.
Creator: Montanez, Julio, Fine, Terri, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Social policy concerns groups. Specifically, social policies have been implemented as a means to affect the well-being of sexual and gender minorities, including areas such as health, employment, violence, and many others. Undergraduate student opinions on such policies are an understudied area of survey research. Possible correlates of support for such policy areas include, but are not limited to, sexual prejudice, attributions, increased contact with the minority group, gender, Para-social...
Show moreSocial policy concerns groups. Specifically, social policies have been implemented as a means to affect the well-being of sexual and gender minorities, including areas such as health, employment, violence, and many others. Undergraduate student opinions on such policies are an understudied area of survey research. Possible correlates of support for such policy areas include, but are not limited to, sexual prejudice, attributions, increased contact with the minority group, gender, Para-social contact, and many others. This research administered a 55-item survey to undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida. With a sample of 210 individuals, this study aimed to answer the following research question. Which explanatory variables are most correlated with support for social policies and rights regarding sexual and gender minorities? Dimension reduction techniques were utilized to create three sub-scales that measure the dependent variable: Alternative Relationship Recognitions, Socio-Political and Economic Goals, and Basic Freedoms. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were reported, confirming the internal consistencies of the dimensions. Bivariate correlation analyses revealed a number of variables with consistent relationships to the dependent variable: sexual prejudice, attributions that view homosexuality as something with which an individual is born, support for abortion rights, partisan identification, ideology, religious affiliation, and religious attendance. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models further assessed the nature of the relationships; sexual prejudice was the most correlated with support for social policies and rights pertaining to sexual and gender minorities. Discussions of findings, limitations of this research, directions for future research, and empirical implications are provided accordingly.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004533, ucf:45201
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004533

Title: A METHODOLOGY TO STABILIZE THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
Creator: Sarmiento, Alfonso, Rabelo, Luis, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In todayÃ‚Â's world, supply chains are facing market dynamics dominated by strong global competition, high labor costs, shorter product life cycles, and environmental regulations. Supply chains have evolved to keep pace with the rapid growth in these business dynamics, becoming longer and more complex. As a result, supply chains are systems with a great number of network connections among their multiple components. The interactions of the network components with respect...
Show moreIn todayÃ‚Â's world, supply chains are facing market dynamics dominated by strong global competition, high labor costs, shorter product life cycles, and environmental regulations. Supply chains have evolved to keep pace with the rapid growth in these business dynamics, becoming longer and more complex. As a result, supply chains are systems with a great number of network connections among their multiple components. The interactions of the network components with respect to each other and the environment cause these systems to behave in a highly nonlinear dynamic manner. Ripple effects that have a huge, negative impact on the behavior of the supply chain (SC) are called instabilities. They can produce oscillations in demand forecasts, inventory levels, and employment rates and, cause unpredictability in revenues and profits. Instabilities amplify risk, raise the cost of capital, and lower profits. To reduce these negative impacts, modern enterprise managers must be able to change policies and plans quickly when those consequences can be detrimental. This research proposes the development of a methodology that, based on the concepts of asymptotic stability and accumulated deviations from equilibrium (ADE) convergence, can be used to stabilize a great variety of supply chains at the aggregate levels of decision making that correspond to strategic and tactical decision levels. The general applicability and simplicity of this method make it an effective tool for practitioners specializing in the stability analysis of systems with complex dynamics, especially those with oscillatory behavior. This methodology captures the dynamics of the supply chain by using system dynamics (SD) modeling. SD was the chosen technique because it can capture the complex relationships, feedback processes, and multiple time delays that are typical of systems in which oscillations are present. If the behavior of the supply chain shows instability patterns, such as ripple effects, the methodology solves an optimization problem to find a stabilization policy to remove instability or minimize its impact. The policy optimization problem relies upon a theorem which states that ADE convergence of a particular state variable of the system, such as inventory, implies asymptotic stability for that variable. The stabilization based on the ADE requires neither linearization of the system nor direct knowledge of the internal structure of the model. Moreover, the ADE concept can be incorporated easily in any SD modeling language. The optimization algorithm combines the advantage of particle swarm optimization (PSO) to determine good regions of the search space with the advantage of local optimization to quickly find the optimal point within those regions. The local search uses a Powell hill-climbing (PHC) algorithm as an improved procedure to the solution obtained from the PSO algorithm, which assures a fast convergence of the ADE. The experiments showed that solutions generated by this hybrid optimization algorithm were robust. A framework built on the premises of this methodology can contribute to the analysis of planning strategies to design robust supply chains. These improved supply chains can then effectively cope with significant changes and disturbances, providing companies with the corresponding cost savings.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0002986, ucf:47977
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002986

Title: THE EFFECTS OF SUICIDE TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ ON US POLICY AND MILITARY STRATEGY.
Creator: Whalen, Michelle, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The international political landscape of the 21st century is strewn with terrorist groups that choose to act violently in order for their political messages to be heard. Around the world groups have been formed to defend their ideologies and fulfill their political agendas through acts of terrorism. The Baader-Meinhof Gang [also known as the Red Army Faction], the Weather Underground, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, HAMAS, and the...
Show moreThe international political landscape of the 21st century is strewn with terrorist groups that choose to act violently in order for their political messages to be heard. Around the world groups have been formed to defend their ideologies and fulfill their political agendas through acts of terrorism. The Baader-Meinhof Gang [also known as the Red Army Faction], the Weather Underground, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, HAMAS, and the Irish Republican Army have existed for many decades. They represent only a small handful of terrorist groups that have kidnapped, targeted public institutions with bombs, and employed suicide terrorism. More often than not innocent civilians become involved in the carnage of an act of terrorism when they are caught off guard as unassuming bystanders. On September 11th, 2001 both the American public and US government officials bore the weight of that horrific day. Since 9-11, Americans were robbed of their sense of safety, and the American dream of tranquility was shattered. A general unease spread from the wreckage of the World Trade Centers, and with the passing of time a keen sense of awareness about terrorism took its place. The events of 9/11 have made US citizens fully cognizant that there are many actors actively plotting the destruction of the US. Now, eight years later, Americans live with the daily realization that such a heinous act could happen again, in some other unimaginable form. For the US government, the past eight years have been marked with as many successes as failures. The consequences of the inability of the US intelligence community to foresee the international plot unfolding, within and outside of the homeland, resulted in a major reorganization within the US government. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established on November 25, 2002, and was created solely to address US vulnerabilities highlighted by the actions of nineteen al-Qaeda suicide terrorists. The DHS' main responsibility is to improve communication and information sharing among various intelligence-gathering agencies, so another attempt to plan an attack like 9/11 on US soil would be foiled before it materialized. The US government would no longer be noncommittal in the face of terrorism, as it had before 9/11. Clear messages to terrorists were sent on October 7th, 2001, through the US invasion of Afghanistan, and subsequently on March 20th, 2003 through the US invasion of Iraq. Thus, the US' stance on the War on Terrorism was effectively and clearly communicated to al-Qaeda and throughout the rest of the world. The US might once have been labeled a paper tiger, but hitting the US at the core of their financial and military symbols struck a nerve. The terrorist attacks of 2001 taught the US government a vital lesson, but the military campaigns of Afghanistan and Iraq would demonstrate that the US had even more to learn about the newest military tactics and techniques employed by the enemy, and how these tactics impacted on US military operations, strategies, and policies.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002921, ucf:47996
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002921

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