Social research and statistics Books
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Entrepreneurial Competition and Industrial
Book SynopsisEntrepreneurial Competition and Industrial Location explores the notion of entrepreneurial competition from its theoretical foundations in early Austrian and contemporary evolutionary economics. Focusing on the structural development of the intangible factors of production such as labour skills, advertising and research and development, the book's empirical implications are tested in a comparative study of competitive performance in the EU, Japan and the USA. Typical mechanisms of external spillovers, shaping industrial location by means of Marshallian cluster formation, highlight the dimension of industrial location. Peneder finally employs the three evolutionary principles of variation, cumulation and selection to establish entrepreneurship, learning and fair markets as the main pillars of modern competitiveness policy. This volume paves the way for a better understanding of the market process, demonstrating the importance of intangible factors as sources of competitive advantage both by conclusive theoretical argument and careful empirical investigation.Trade Review'This book is an ambitious attempt to combine detailed empirical analysis with a broadened theoretical context within which to understand industrial innovation and entrepreneurship. The main part of the book is a large-scale research study of industry by sector. . . a thought-provoking book with many new empirical insights. . . The book has considerable relevance to researchers concerned with competition policy and economic development initiatives. . . this book will be found to be a stimulating research study.' -- Robert J. Bennett, Progress in Human Geography'This is a book that can be recommended for the researchers in the field.' -- P. Banerjee, Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research'Peneder's book is an interesting contribution to our understanding of the competitive process in a globalised economy. He comes up with empirical measures and industry rankings which take into account intangible investment and the influence of human resources. This helps to explain specialisation and the location of industries. Since the importance of competition policy as one of the few remaining instruments of national economic policy increases steadily the results of the book are of great importance. Clearly written and highly self contained - explaining instruments and theoretical background of the study - the book is an indispensable reading for researchers and politicians alike.' -- Hanns Abele, University of Economics and Business Administration Vienna, AustriaTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Entrepreneurial Competition 2. The Organisation of Knowledge 3. Intangible Investment and Human Resources 4. The Competitive Performance of European Industries 5. Sectoral Specialisation and Industrial Location 6. Competitiveness Policy Bibliography Index
£98.00
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Global Skill Shortages
Book SynopsisAs the world entered the twenty-first century, global skill shortages in many occupations were evident throughout the world. While these were mitigated by a global recession, there is no generally agreed upon method for measuring these shortages. This book discusses various theories for measurement. Using data collected from 19 developed countries in North and Latin America, Europe, and the Pacific region, the authors explore various aspects of skilled labor shortages, develop a methodology of measuring shortages by occupation, and provide estimates of the likelihood of the occurrence of such shortages. They develop labor market indicators which measure the degree of shortage or surplus in different occupations. The study covers as many as 49 occupational groups, although the number varies by country. The indicators are compared to anecdotal reports about shortages in the countries studied as well as correlated with various economic, political and institutional indicators. Some occupations such as CEO's, health professionals and computer scientists were common across many countries studied and part of a global shortage. Scholars, government officials, students and corporate and union representatives concerned with employment, labor and training policies and issues will find the data and analysis in this book a valuable addition to their knowledge.Trade Review'Just before sitting down to write these few words, I happened upon this lead-in to a USA Today article (May 14, 2002), 'Nurse anaesthetists in short supply - Hospitals crank up salaries to attract pivotal employees.' And, as many are aware, this particular shortage has been the case for a period of time measured in decades. Why is it that, for some job classes, supply persists in falling short of demand at the going wage for long periods of time, whether or not the aggregate labor market is tight or slack? What characteristics of labor markets explain this phenomenon? What are the observable indicators that identify a particular job class as being seriously in shortage or as heading into such a condition? Do the same indicators manage to identify most shortage categories? Is the shortage phenomenon local, national, or global? How do economic agents, both on the supply and the demand side, cope with such shortages? These are some of the major issues dealt with by Cohen and Zaidi in their concise and highly readable Global Skill Shortages. Economists, business managers, HR professionals, career counsellors, and educators will all enjoy and get the message in this well-written book. Economists in particular, however, will appreciate the way the authors push the analytics of the problem into suggesting the route to empirical indicators.' -- Saul H. Hymans, University of Michigan, US'Skill shortages can be a major bottleneck for economic activity and growth. Constructing accurate measures of skill shortages that could be used by policymakers to target programs to reduce these bottlenecks has proven to be challenging. But in this new volume, Malcolm Cohen and Mahmood Zaidi take on this challenge and present a new indicator of skill shortages by detailed occupations across 19 countries. Their global perspective makes this an especially interesting and useful work for economists and policymakers interested in assessing the global capacity to meet occupational shortages across countries.' -- Lisa M. Lynch, Tufts University, US'As a legacy of the Great Depression, measurement of unemployment - labor surplus - advanced throughout the developed world. Macroeconomists focused on driving down unemployment. The reverse condition, labor shortage, was generally neglected and often unmeasured. In this volume, Cohen and Zaidi ably redress the balance, focusing on the labor shortage phenomenon and its statistical appraisal. Their work will surely stimulate further research into labor shortages, the response of employers and workers to them, and critical issues of labor shortage measurement.' -- Daniel J.B. Mitchell, University of California, Los Angeles, USTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. Theoretical Aspects of Skill Shortages 3. Globalization and Skill Shortages 4. Skill Shortage Studies in Selected Countries 5. Shortage Indicators by Occupation and Country 6. Factors Correlated with Shortages 7. Coping with Skill Shortages 8. Concluding Remarks Appendix Index
£94.00
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Child Well-Being: Understanding Children's Lives
Book SynopsisChild well-being, which covers everything from family relationships to their material well-being, is now increasingly being talked about in policy and practice nationally and internationally. However, a lack of clarity remains about what the idea really means and how it can help children.This book brings together contributions from international experts in order to define child well-being and to further understand how it can improve children's lives. Issues covered include how the idea is being used in government policy and practice in the UK and USA, how children can contribute to the understanding of child well-being, recent advances in the exploration of indicators and measures of well-being, and the importance of context in making comparisons. A concluding chapter explores whether child well-being is a useful concept in understanding children's lives, whether it positively contributes to policy and practice, and the value of international comparisons. This edited collection is essential reading for all those involved in understanding children's lives and who have responsibility for improving them, including practitioners, policymakers, students and academics.Trade ReviewChild Well-Being, by editors Colette McAuley and Wendy Rose, provides a timely and well-informed text that offers essential reading about a notion - well-being - that, while in common currency, has been exposed to relatively little critical treatment of its value for driving policy, practice and research in children's services... The book casts much needed light on a central element of welfare discourse - well-being - and charts the likely direction of future debates in this field. Essential reading. -- Research, Policy and PlanningThe collection is a welcome reminder of the need to re-order priorities with regard to children's lives and perceiving the issues... There is much in this book including a large research bibliography. It belongs in university libraries and in courses in sociology, politics and education. -- Metapsychology Online ReviewsThis book brings together contributions from 16 international experts from Ireland, Israel and the United States, as well as the UK, in order to define child well-being and to enhance our understanding of children's lives and how they can be improved. Issues covered include whether the concept assist professionals such as social workers, teachers and youth tribute to the understanding of child well-being; and how the idea is being used in government policy and practice... Recommended if you want more depth in your understanding of children's well being. -- Play for LifeThe views of children and parents are discussed in some detail, as is the disparity between them, and an insight into the Children's Society's 2008 subjective well-being survey makes for interesting reading... The text makes for an interesting read for all those working directly with children. -- Professional Social WorkTable of ContentsForeword. Acknowledgements. Preface. Part 1. Understanding Children's Lives at Home, School and in the Community. 1. Child Well-Being, Child Development and Family Lives. Jane Aldgate, The Open University, UK. 2. Children's Views on Child Well-Being. Colette McAuley, University College Dublin, Ireland, Roger Morgan, Children's Rights Director of England and Wendy Rose, The Open University, UK. 3. Introducing the Concept of Child Well-Being into Government Policy. Wendy Rose and John Rowlands, Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, UK. 4. How Schools Can Contribute to Pupils' Well-being. Pamela Munn, University of Edinburgh, UK. 5. Youth, Civic Engagement and Support: Promoting Well-being. Pat Dolan, Child and Family Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. Part 2. Child Well-Being: International Developments and New Policy and Research Directions. 6. Developing Indicators for Child Well-Being in a Changing Context. Asher Ben-Arieh, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. 7. National Reporting on Child Well-Being – The State of the Nation's Children's Reports in the Republic of Ireland. Anne-Marie Brooks, Sinead Hanafin and Sylda Langford, Office of the Minister for Children, Dublin, Ireland. 8. The Challenge of Improving Children's Well-Being and Measuring Outcomes – An American Perspective. Peter J. Pecora, University of Washington and Casey Family Programs, USA and Markell Harrison-Jackson, Pinal County Education Service Agency, USA. 9. The Subjective Well-Being of Children. Jonathan Bradshaw, University of York, UK, Gwyther Rees, Children's Society, UK, Antonia Keung, University of York, UK and Haridhan Goswami, Children's Society, UK. Part 3. Child Well-Being: Current Issues and Future Directions. 10. Child Well-Being - Current Issues and Future Directions. Colette McAuley and Wendy Rose. References. List of contributors. Index.
£27.99
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Globalisation, Policy Transfer and Policy
Book SynopsisThis significant new book presents a comparative study of the role of policy research institutes within policy transfer, and the subsequent impact policy transfer has upon the processes of Europeanisation and globalisation.In an era of globalisation, it is generally assumed that processes of policy transfer have increased. At the same time, however, there has been a recognition that understanding governance purely through state centred institutional approaches is no longer tenable. In this book, Stella Ladi argues that in order to fully understand domestic governance we must examine the impact of non-governmental organisations such as policy research institutes. Using a sophisticated, multi-level framework of analysis, the author concentrates on three particular case studies with which to evaluate the transfer of ideas, the transfer of policy programmes and the transfer of institutions, within the European Union. She concludes that the analysis of policy transfer is crucial in identifying international policy entrepreneurs, as well as important policy developments in domestic and world politics.The multi-disciplinary approach of this book will appeal to students and scholars of the social sciences, particularly those specialising in public policy and administration, international relations and comparative politics. It will also be of interest to policymakers and practitioners within international organisations.Trade Review'The impact of non-governmental players has been given scant attention in the policy transfer literature. This book addresses that gap and provides a detailed exploration of their role and influence in this process within a European context. . . This well-written, easily accessible and clearly-structured book is a welcome addition to the policy transfer literature and can be recommended to anybody interested in this field. Not only does it make an important empirical contribution to our understanding of the policy transfer arena but it also provides a useful analytical framework that warrants further exploration and development.' -- Tobias Jung, Political Studies Review'Stella Ladi has taken on a daunting set of challenges: a comparative study of policy transfer; a study of the role of think tanks in the transfer process; and the relevance of Europeanisation to shaping the transfer process. As such, this is an innovative book tackling increasingly important issues that cut across the fields of public policy and international relations. It deserves to be widely read as the first systematic study of its kind - and others will surely follow.' -- Kevin Featherstone, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK'Policy transfer is on the increase, fuelled by the dual processes of globalisation and Europeanisation. Stella Ladi provides an incisive and detailed account of how policy transfer is shaping policy developments in Europe within a rich theoretical context.' -- Diane Stone, Central European University, HungaryTable of ContentsContents: Introduction 1. Towards a Multi-level Framework of Analysis 2. The Macro- and Meso-Levels of Analysis: Globalisation, Europeanisation and Policy Transfer 3. The Micro-Level of Analysis: The Third Sector and Policy Research Institutes 4. The Transfer of Policy Ideas: The International Dialogues Foundation and Youth Employment Policy 5. The Transfer of Policy Programmes: Understandingbus and Environmental Policy 6. The Transfer of Policy Institutions: Paremvassi and the Transfer of the Ombudsman Institution 7. Comparing the Role of Policy Research Institutes in Processes of Policy Transfer 8. Conclusions Appendix 1: A List of Interviews Undertaken in the Course of the Study Appendix 2: Sample Questionnaires Bibliography Index
£999.99
Emerald Publishing Limited Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and
Book SynopsisSocial movement strategies and coalition dynamics in movements are two of the hottest arenas for cutting-edge research. Many case studies offer useful analytical windows through which we can understand the strategic choices made by individual movement organizations. Equally if not more important questions remain about how the positions a movement organization occupies in the broader social movement field impacts strategic decision-making. Coalition politics and conflicts matter to social movements.Thus Section One of this volume of "Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change" presents a series of papers focused on the complex dynamics of coalitions and the interorganizational relations within social movements. Another section follows immediately that compliments in an integrated way the first, this one focused on strategic decision making in social movements, including with regard to strategic alliances. The Volume closes with a third section on political opportunities and political inequalities. This volume of the "Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change" does what the series has always done best: showcase sound empirical work and creative theory-building that addresses those questions currently at the forefront of the field.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONPatrick G. CoyPART I: COALITION DYNAMICS IN SOCIAL MOVEMENTSLINKING STRATEGIC CHOICE WITH MACRO-ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS: STRATEGY AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT ARTICULATION Dennis J. Downey and Deana A. RohlingerCOALITION DISSOLUTION, MOBILIZATION, AND NETWORK DYNAMICS IN THE U.S. ANTIWAR MOVEMENTMichael T. Heaney and Fabio RojasSOCIAL MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND COALITIONS: COMPARISONS FROM THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINAElizabeth BorlandMESOMOBILIZATION AND FRAGILE COALITIONS: ABORIGINAL POLITICS AND TREATY-MAKING IN BRITISH COLUMBIAR.S. Ratner and Andrew WoolfordTHE LIVING WAGE MOVEMENT AND THE ECONOMICS OF MORALITY:FRAMES, IDEOLOGY AND THE DISCURSIVE FIELDShehzad NadeemPART II: STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING IN SOCIAL MOVEMENTSPROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL ALLIANCES, LEGITIMATING AUTHORITY AND THE LONGEVITY OF HEALTH MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONSMatthew E. Archibald and Kendralin J. FreemanOPPOSING MOVEMENT STRATEGIES IN U.S. ABORTION POLITICSDavid S. Meyer and Suzanne StaggenborgWHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DECLINE:COMPETING NARRATIVES IN THE AMSTERDAM SQUATTERS' MOVEMENTLynn OwensPART III: POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES AND POLITICAL INEQUALITIESRESTRICTING PUBLIC LIFE, CREATING DEADLY STRIFE:HOW POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION IMPACTS INTERETHNIC CONFLICTClayton D. Peoples and Tina Hsu SchweizerSTARVING FOR CHANGE: THE HUNGER STRIKE AND NONVIOLENT ACTION, 1906 - 2004 Stephen J. Scanlan, Laurie Cooper Stoll and Kimberly Lumm
£82.99
Emerald Publishing Limited Access: A Zone of Comprehension and Intrusion
Book SynopsisThis volume of "Advances for Program Evaluation" examines the nature and seriousness of fieldworkers' problems of failure to gain access, achieve comprehension, and avoid intrusion. To do all three, fieldworkers' need understanding and respect of the people from whom they seek data as well as be consciously and critically aware of staging field relationships knotted with tensions of estrangement, involvement, familiarity and distance. In the nine chapters of this volume, the authors speak of access to human subjects data, dealing with methods and concerns about intrusion. Attention is given to past and current practices of personalistic studies, particularly in education, and the need for improved protection of participants.Table of ContentsAccess, a Zone of Comprehension, and Intrusion. Inappropriate closeness in fieldwork?: A view from anthropology of education. Interconnecting lives: Examining privacy as a shared concern for the researched and researchers. Informed consent: An instrumental or deceptive principle in qualitative educational research. Privacy and intrusion in ethnographic health research. IRBs and the turn to indigenous research ethics. Transforming research through indigenous cultural protocols: Issues of access, privacy, and respect. Crossing borders? Doing gendered ethnographies of third-world organisations. The self of the investigator in research with human beings. Biographies. List of Contributors. Advances in Program Evaluation. Access, a Zone of Comprehension, and Intrusion. Copyright page.
£82.99
James Currey Field Research in Africa: The Ethics of
Book SynopsisAn essential exploration of and guide to research ethics in the field. Researchers working in Africa are engaged in ethical, methodological, logistical, emotional and professional compromises. Juggling the demands of being a researcher and being human, scholars must balance the recording of data withthe emotional demands of listening, of analyzing and reporting personal, and often contradictory, narratives. This book recognizes these challenges and lays bare the underlying and important process by which the researcher grapples with emotions, and how 'feelings' inform and shape data collection, interpretation, write-up and dissemination. Based on widely researched on-the-ground work, the contributors reveal the ambiguities and inconsistences that emerge at all stages of fieldwork and how to tackle them. They examine the ethical quagmires that arise when doing research on sensitive topics in a researcher's own living environment, and suggest how to manage the complex interaction between the researcher's own identity and social relationships in the field, and navigate the role of researcher when activism risks access to the field.Trade ReviewIn the foreword of Field Research in Africa, the editors share that the goal of research is to render the world intelligible. All the contributors stick to this theme very effectively as they try to make intelligible the discomforting and the personally challenging. Field Research in Africa is written with clear narration, articulation of deep concepts, and practical considerations for readers. -- African Studies QuarterlyTable of ContentsForeword: It is about Us - Elísio Macamo Map of Africa showing Fields of Research Introduction: Fields of Vision, Emotion as Reflexivity - Susan Thomson, An Ansoms, and Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka 1. Skin Connections: Negotiating Institutional Ethics alongside Insider Identities - Gino Vlavonou 2. Conducting Sensitive Research 'At Home': A Matter of Responsibility - Emery Mushagalusa Mudinga 3. A Gendered Research Journey: Ethical Dilemmas of an Algerian Immigrant Recovering the Memory of 'Home' - Ghaliya N. Djelloul 4. Establishing Kinship in Diaspora: Conducting Research among Fellow Congolese Immigrants of Cape Town - Rosette Sifa Vuninga 5. 'If they find out, we're dead': Intermediaries, Self-censorship, and Anxiety in Research as an Outsider-insider - Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka 6. Looking Behind the Screen: Ethical Quagmires when Accessing Hidden Discourses - An Ansoms 7. Scholar-Activist? On Relational Accountability and an Ethic of Dissemination - Susan Thomson Conclusion: Theorizing Self as Ethical Research Practice - Susan Thomson, An Ansoms and Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka Bibliography
£23.82
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd The Principles of Knowledge Creation: Research
Book SynopsisThe Principles of Knowledge Creation is an essential guide to the various methods of collating, explaining and understanding research data. It provides an overview of the possibilities and opportunities that exist in the research world, and demonstrates the pluralism of scientific approaches and methods. The book explores research tools and techniques in the context of objectifying and interpreting science, and the application of critical science methods. An exhaustive range of research methods is examined by subject specialists from varied social science backgrounds, including management, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology and pedagogy. They illustrate that no single knowledge creation approach can be applied to all enquiries or studies, and that different interpretations and approaches can lead to the founding of new knowledge and explanations. This fascinating, hands-on approach promises to inspire students and researchers to experiment with new and different methods of solving their research problems. As such, it will strongly appeal to all those with an interest in research and research data within the social sciences.Trade Review'The uniqueness of this book lies in the fact that its contents are not forceful and prescriptive, but instead sensitize researchers to opt for whichever method is most suitable. . . It leaves the reader with useful tips on how to succeed in exploring knowledge. Interestingly, it will equally enthuse researchers from the management and the social sciences.' -- Rajeshwari Narendran, Global Business Review'. . . a vast array of material that would be useful in a variety of courses and projects. Recommended.' -- R.K. Murray, ChoiceTable of ContentsContents: Introduction Bengt Gustavsson PART I: OBJECTIFYING METHODS 1. Quantitative Investigations: Design, Sampling, and Analysis Magnus Sverke 2. Quantitative Methods: The Art of Measuring What You Want Measured Magnus Sverke 3. Grounded Theory Bengt Gustavsson 4. Case Study Research Evert Gummesson PART II: INTERPRETING METHODS 5. Hermeneutics in Research Practice Per-Johan Ödman 6. Aesthetic Perspective: Hermeneutics of Action Pierre Guillet de Monthoux 7. Ethnography Christina Garsten 8. Introspection Maria Frostling-Henningsson PART III: CRITICAL METHODS 9. Narrative Analysis Hervé Corvellec 10. Thought Experiments Sören Häggqvist PART IV: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES 11. Face-to-Face Research: Interviews, Conversations and Dialogues Björn Bjerke 12. The Internet Revolution and the Social Scientist Conny Svenning 13. The Art of Referencing Bengt Gustavsson Index
£111.00
Policy Press Community Research for Participation: From Theory
Book SynopsisThis book bridges a major gap in knowledge by considering, through a range of reflexive chapters from different disciplinary backgrounds, both theoretical and practical issues relating to community research methodologies. The international contributors consider a number of key epistemological, ontological and methodological questions. They explore what community peer research means in a range of settings, for a range of people, for the quality of data and subsequent findings, and for the production of rigorous social research. The collection will also stimulate thinking about how methodological advancement can be made in the field. It is the first book of its kind to combine practical and methodological reflections with clearly presented recommendations about how the approach can be used. Presenting the latest thinking in the field and providing summaries, case studies and review questions, 'Community research for participation' will be invaluable to students, researchers, academics and practitioners who aim to place community members at the centre of their research.Trade Review"Goodson and Phillimore have collated a comprehensive and timely volume into the nature of community research that highlights the benefits of working with and in communities." LSE Review of Books"A usefull and far reaching discussion drawing on a wide range of practice/research illustrations" Carol Packham, MMU"This text cleverly negotiates through community research dealing with theoretical, ethical and practical issues in an engageing manner" Stuart Agnew, University Campus Suffolk"It is invaluable when practitioners produce reflections on experiences of undertaking their craft, and this volume is no exception. With a series of illuminating chapters covering a range of topics, this will be of value to those engaged in the field of community research." Tim May, co-director, Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures, University of Salford, UKTable of ContentsPart One: Theoretical and methodological issues ~ Community research: opportunities and challenges ~ Lisa Goodson and Jenny Phillimore; A critical communicative perspective on community research: Reflections on experiences working with Roma in Spain ~ Aitor Gómez and Terese Sordé Marti; Authenticity and validity in community research: Looking at age discrimination and urban social interactions in the UK ~ Andrew Clark, Caroline Holland and Richard Ward; Community research with Gypsies and Travellers in the UK: Highlighting and negotiating compromises to reliability and validity ~ Philip Brown, Lisa Scullion and Pat Niner;Involving community researchers in refugee research in the UK~ Gaby Atfield, Kavita Brahmbhatt, Hameed Hakimi and Therese O'Toole; Universities as agents in the empowerment of local communities in Germany, Finland and Russia ~ Patricia Bell, Melinda Madew, Tony Addy and Sakari Kainulainen; Data analysis and community research: Capturing reality on housing estates in Bradford, UK ~ Heather Blakey, EJ Milne and Louise Kilburn; Participation in community research: Experiences of community researchers in HIV/AIDS research in South Africa ~ Maretha Visser; Part Two: Ethics, power and emotion ~ Power and participation in community research: Community profilinh in Italy ~ Terri Mannarini; The pedagogy of community research: Moving out of the ivory tower and into community organisations in Canada ~ Karen Schwartz, Adje van de Sande and Ann Marie O'Brien; Engaging community researchers in evaluation: Looking at the experiences of community partners in school based projects in the US ~ Jenifer Cartland, Holly Ruch-Ross and Maryann Mason; Are we recovery orientated? An Australian encounter of learning from people with lived experience ~ Lisa Brophy, Melissa Petrakis, Liam Buckley, Matthew Scott, Jayne Lewis, Nadine Cocks, Michael Stylianou and Kieran Halloran; Ethics in community research: Reflections from ethnographic research with First Nations people in the US ~ Barbara Kawulich and Tamra Ogletree; Avoiding best being the enemy of good: using peer interviewer methods for community research in place-based settings in Australia ~ Deborah Warr, Rosey Mann and Richard Williams; Part Three: Managing the research process ~ Mental health service users and carers as researchers: reflections on a qualitative study of citizens' experiences of compulsory mental health laws in Northern Ireland ~ Damien Kavanagh, Gavin Davidson, Jim Campbell, Martin Daly and Moira Harper; Community organisation and community research: Women's struggle for food security in India ~ Janki Andharia; Community researchers in an adolescent risk reduction intervention in Botswana: Challenges and opportunities ~ Bagele Chilisa and Rapelang Chilisa; Recruitment and capacity building challenges in participatory research involving young people in Northern Ireland ~ Claire McCartan, Dirk Schubotz and Stephanie Burns; Translating lives: Cross language community research with Polish migrants in the UK ~ Bogusia Temple and Katarzyna Koterba; Mentoring refugee community researchers in the UK: An empowerment tool? ~ Patricia A. Jones and Ricky Joseph.
£77.39
Policy Press Applying social science: The role of social
Book SynopsisIn complex contemporary societies social science has become increasingly interwoven into the whole fabric of governance. At the same time there is an increasing recognition that attempts to understand the social world which seek to mimic the linear approaches of the conventional 'hard sciences' are mostly useless given the complex systems character of society in all its aspects. This book draws on a synthesis of critical realism and complexity theory to examine how social science is applied now and how it might be applied in the future in relation to social transformation in a time of crisis. A central argument is that there is no such thing as a 'pure' science of the social and that a recognition of the inevitability of application imposes obligations on social scientists wherever they work which challenge the passivity of most in the face of inequality and injustice.Trade Review"Byrne has advocated over the last decade an integration of critical realism and complexity theory and here is a good starting point for readers fresh to his argument. His book is worth reading." Journal of Social Policy"Very useful for its focus on 'application'. Will no doubt help those in applied profesion. Very relevant for wsocial work students for constructing evidence. Very useful.""This is a very apprehensible and practically oriented book" Olga Savinskaya, Higher School of Economics"Provocative and passionate, David Byrne's 'Applying social science' is a shot across the bows of those who think of applied social science as an academic backwater. More than a treatise on the practice and politics of social research, this book analyzes the contradictory roles social scientists and social research in 'post-democratic' society." Charles Ragin, Department of Sociology, University of Arizona"Applying social science is the book from David Byrne that many have been waiting for. This book will have a broad appeal to all those who care about the relevance and rigour of social research in the making of the policy and political agenda." Malcolm Williams, Director, Cardiff University School of Social SciencesTable of ContentsContents: The methodological foundations of applied social science; Constructing evidence: the development of knowledge which is to be applied; Surveying the social world: assembling knowledge as a basis for action; Evaluating: the role of social science in the establishment of effectiveness and outcomes; Legitimating: the selective use of social science in justifying policy and practice; Consulting: the role of social science in 'participatory' post-democratic politics; Modeling: the use of social science in predicting the future consequences of present actions; Acting: the role of social science in action-research; The Applied Social Sciences and the Academy; Conclusion: Where now?
£25.64
Policy Press Understanding Research for Social Policy and
Book SynopsisIt is vital for students, policy makers and practitioners engaged in social policy, social work and other related academic disciplines and fields of practice to understand the importance of research and how to interpret research evidence and findings. They also need to know how to effectively carry out and report good quality research of their own. This thoroughly revised and expanded second edition of the acclaimed international best-seller will enable readers to meet all these challenges. Comprehensive in scope, and written expertly by 80 leading contributors in an accessible and engaging style, this landmark book from The Policy Press' Understanding Welfare series includes dozens of new sections which highlight developments since the first edition. It also combines theoretical and applied discussions and case examples to provide the essential one-stop guide to research methods, approaches and debates. The book is essential reading for students and teachers of social policy, social work, public policy, criminology, nursing and health sciences, education and other applied social sciences; policy makers and practitioners who would like to improve their use of research evidence; and those who want to conduct high quality research of their own.Trade Review"... a valuable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including those in social work pursuing post-qualifying studies." Research in Practice"Understanding Research is one of those books you would go back to - a good one for the collection." Community Care"Very beneficial for more able students" Jane Maffey, New College Durham"Becker and Bryman did a masterful job...North American public policy students could learn a lot from this book and methodology instructors could have their load considerably eased if URfSPP was more widely read". Kennedy Stewart, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University School of Public Policy and Member of Parliament for Burnaby-Douglas"Takes you on a fascinating journey through the world of social research and is so well written it is a joy to read...a superb text…an outstanding organizational and intellectual achievement." International Journal of Social Research MethodologyTable of ContentsIntroduction; Research for social policy and social work; Ethical conduct and research practice; Formulating research ideas and questions; Methodological issues and approaches; Quantitative research; Qualitative research; Dissemination, knowledge transfer and making an impact; Glossary; List of contributors: Pete Alcock - University of Birmingham, Charles Antaki - Loughborough University, Karl Ashworth - Office for National Statistics, Mary Baginsky - Children's Workforce Development Council, Matt Barnard - Head of Evaluation NSPCC, Sarah Banks - Durham University, Fiona Becker - NSPCC, Saul Becker - University of Nottingham, Peter Beresford - Brunel University, Nigel Bilsbrough - Loughborough University, Annette Boaz - Kings College London, Joanna Bornat - The Open University, Jonathan Bradshaw - University of York, John D. Brewer - University of Aberdeen, Alan Bryman - Leicester University, Emma Carmel - University of Bath, Patrick Carmichael - Liverpool John Moores University, Anne Corden - University of York, Louise Corti - University of Essex, Gary Craig - University of Durham, Duncan Cramer - Loughborough University, Christopher Day - University of Nottingham, David Deacon - Loughborough University, David de Vaus - University of Queensland Australia, Mary Dixon-Woods - University of Leicester, Harry Ferguson - University of Nottingham, Ben Fincham - University of Sussex, Jerry Floersch - Rutgers University School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Lynn Froggett - University of Central Lancashire, Rachel Fyson - University of Nottingham, Graham R. Gibbs - University of Huddersfield, David Gordon - University of Bristol, Hilary Graham - University of York, Martyn Hammersley - The Open University, Mark Hardy - University of York, Alexa Hepburn - Loughborough University, Michael Hirst - University of York, Lesley Hoggart - University of Greenwich, Lisa Holmes - Loughborough University, Sally Holland - Cardiff University, Annie Irvine - University of York, Stephen Joseph - University of Nottingham, Savita Katbamna - University of Leicester, Ravi KS Kohli - University of Bedfordshire, Jane Lewis - London School of Economics & Political Science, Pranee Liamputtong - La Trobe University Australia, Jeffrey Longhofer - Rutgers University of School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Clare Madge - University of Leicester, Reima Ana Maglajlic - Swansea University, Nicholas Mays - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Stephen McKay - University of Birmingham, Bren Neale - University of Leeds, Carolyn Noble - Victoria University Melbourne Australia, Henrietta O'Connor - University of Leicester, Stewart Page - University of Windsor Canada, Jan Pahl - University of Kent, Alison Park - National Centre for Social Research, Elizabeth Peel - Aston University, Cassandra Phoenix - University of Exeter, Robert Pinker - London School of Economics and Political Science, Jennie Popay - Lancaster University, Catherine Pope - University of Southampton, Jonathan Potter - Loughborough University, Stephen Potter - The Open University, Colin Robson - University of Huddersfield, Karen Rowlingson - University of Birmingham, Roy Sainsbury - University of York, Jonathan Scourfield - Cardiff University, Clive Seale - Queen Mary University of London, Joe Sempik - University of Nottingham, Elaine Sharland - University of Sussex, Ian F Shaw - University of York, Janet Smithson - University of Exeter, William Solesbury - ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy, Bruce Stafford - University of Nottingham, Patricia Thomson - University of Nottingham, Peter Townsend - formerly University of Bristol, Harriet Ward - Loughborough University, Samantha Warren - University of Essex, David Westlake - Loughborough University, Sue White - University of Birmingham, Sharon Witherspoon - The Nuffield Foundation, Ruth Wodak - Lancaster University
£28.49
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Happiness and Social Policy in Europe
Book SynopsisHappiness is currently a central focus for research in the social sciences. Using data from the European Social Survey the researchers analyse the relation between happiness and social policy across Europe. The expert contributors demonstrate that research on happiness can inform welfare choices and policies and help promote job creation, social inclusion and to some degree, a higher level of equality. They highlight that whilst differences do exist amongst the countries studied, social policy has a role in increasing happiness throughout Europe. The interdisciplinary approach and geographical coverage greatly enhance our understanding of this critical relationship between happiness and social outcomes. Happiness and Social Policy in Europe uniquely embraces the relationship between happiness, social policy and welfare state analysis. This enlightening work will strongly appeal to postgraduate students of social policy, sociology, economics and psychology. Researchers with an interest in comparative analysis, welfare states and happiness will also find this book invaluable.Trade Review‘Bent Greve takes us on an informative and intriguing intellectual journey across nine European countries that widely differ in cultural factors, institutional settings and government spending composition. . . The book is thus most suitable for policymakers and academics who are interested in a new discipline that fruitfully combines economics, psychology and sociology.’ -- Pierpaolo Perna, LSE Review of BooksTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction Bent Greve 2. Life Satisfaction and Happiness in the Czech Republic TomአSirovátka and Steven Saxonberg 3. Happiness and the Welfare State in Slovakia Miroslav BeblavÝ 4. Happiness in a Small Country: Luxembourg Carlo Klein 5. Subjective Well-being in Germany: Evolutions, Determinants and Policy Implications Heinz-Herbert Noll and Stefan Weick 6. Happiness in the United Kingdom Bill Jordan 7. Happiness and Socio-economic Transformations in the Russian Federation Alfio Cerami 8. Happiness in the Extensive Welfare State: Sweden in a Comparative European Perspective Filip Fors 9. Happiness and Social Policy in Denmark Bent Greve 10. Welfare and Happiness in Italy Marco Zupi 11. Income Inequality and Happiness in 119 Nations: In Search for an Optimum that Does Not Appear to Exist Maarten Berg and Ruut Veenhoven Bibliography Index
£95.00
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Handbook of Research Methods on Trust
Book Synopsis'A tour-de-force of trust research methodologies, from surveys methods to critical incidents to hermeneutics. . . will prove invaluable to trust researchers of every stripe.- Aks Zaheer, University of Minnesota, US 'This book fills an important gap. The burgeoning field of trust research has employed a wide variety of definitions and methods, but until the appearance of this Handbook there was no comprehensive overview of them. Its contributions, many written by leading international experts, cover conceptual issues as well as qualitative and quantitative methods. The editors are all working at the frontiers of trust research and in this Handbook they have compiled an indispensable source of reference for years to come.'- John Child, University of Birmingham, UK 'This is the right book at the right time. Central to the advancement of research on trust is the need to address a host of methodological, empirical, and analytical challenges. This Handbook provides a vital resource for doing so and holds the promise of infusing the literature with novel and enhanced approaches for studying and understanding trust. Researchers new to the field as well as established experts will find a wealth of insights contained herein.' Bill McEvily, University of Toronto, CanadaThe Handbook of Research Methods on Trust provides an authoritative in-depth consideration of quantitative and qualitative methods for empirical study of trust in the social sciences. As this topic has matured, a growing number of practical approaches and techniques has been utilized across the broad, multidisciplinary community of trust research, providing both insights and challenges. This unique Handbook draws together a wealth of research methods knowledge gained by trust researchers into one essential volume. The contributors examine different methodological issues and particular methods, as well as share their experiences of what works, what does not work, challenges and innovations. Identifying innovative methods for researching trust, this important Handbook will prove invaluable for students and academics in the social sciences that are interested in trust, particularly postgraduates planning empirical research on trust, undergraduates researching issues of trust, faculty teaching research-based courses on trust and related topics, and experienced trust researchers looking for reflection, discussion and inspiration.Trade ReviewA tour-de-force of trust research methodologies, from surveys methods to critical incidents to hermeneutics. . .will prove invaluable to trust researchers of every stripe. - Aks Zaheer, University of Minnesota, US This book fills an important gap. The burgeoning field of trust research has employed a wide variety of definitions and methods, but until the appearance of this Handbook there was no comprehensive overview of them. Its contributions, many written by leading international experts, cover conceptual issues as well as qualitative and quantitative methods. The editors are all working at the frontiers of trust research and in this Handbook they have compiled an indispensable source of reference for years to come. - John Child, University of Birmingham, UK This is the right book at the right time. Central to the advancement of research on trust is the need to address a host of methodological, empirical, and analytical challenges. This Handbook provides a vital resource for doing so and holds the promise of infusing the literature with novel and enhanced approaches for studying and understanding trust. Researchers new to the field as well as established experts will find a wealth of insights contained herein. - --Bill McEvily, University of Toronto, CanadaTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction: The Variety of Methods for the Multi-faceted Phenomenon of Trust Fergus Lyon, Guido Möllering and Mark N.K. Saunders PART I: CONCEPTUAL ISSUES 2. Moving between Laboratory and Field: A Multi-method Approach for Studying Trust Judgments Roderick M. Kramer 3. Measuring Trust Beliefs and Behaviours Roy J. Lewicki and Chad Brinsfield 4. Agent-based Simulation of Trust Bart Nooteboom 5. Researching Trust in Different Cultures Friederike Welter and Nadezhda Alex 6. Trust and Social Capital: Challenges for Studying their Dynamic Relationship Boris F. Blumberg, José M. Peiró and Robert A. Roe 7. Measuring Generalized Trust: In Defense of the ‘Standard’ Question Eric M. Uslaner PART II: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 8. Access and Non-probability Sampling in Qualitative Research on Trust Fergus Lyon 9. Working with Difficult to Reach Groups: A ‘Building Blocks’ Approach to Researching Trust in Communities Christine Goodall 10. Cross-cultural Comparative Case Studies: A Means to Uncovering Dimensions of Trust Malin Tillmar 11. Combining Card Sorts and In-depth Interviews Mark N.K. Saunders 12. Mixed Method Applications in Trust Research: Simultaneous Hybrid Data Collection in Cross-cultural Settings Using the Board Game Method Miriam Muethel 13. Utilising Repertory Grids in Macro-level Comparative Studies Reinhard Bachmann 14. Deepening the Understanding of Trust: Combining Repertory Grid and Narrative to Explore the Uniqueness of Trust Melanie J. Ashleigh and Edgar Meyer 15. Hermeneutic Methods in Trust Research Gerard Breeman 16. Using Critical Incident Technique in Trust Research Robert Münscher and Torsten M. Kühlmann PART III: QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES 17. Measuring Trust in Organizational Contexts: An Overview of Survey-based Measures Nicole Gillespie 18. The Actor–Partner Interdependence Model: A Method for Studying Trust in Dyadic Relationships Donald L. Ferrin, Michelle C. Bligh and Jeffrey C. Kohles 19. Embedded Trust: The Analytical Approach in Vignettes, Laboratory Experiments and Surveys Davide Barrera, Vincent Buskens and Werner Raub 20. Measuring the Decision to Trust Using Metric Conjoint Analysis Richard L. Priem and Antoinette A. Weibel 21. Diary Methods in Trust Research Rosalind H. Searle 22. Measuring Implicit Trust and Automatic Attitude Activation Calvin Burns and Stacey Conchie 23. A Voice is Worth a Thousand Words: The Implications of the Micro-coding of Social Signals in Speech for Trust Research Benjamin Waber, Michele Williams, John S. Carroll and Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland 24. It Takes a Community to Make a Difference: Evaluating Quality Procedures and Practices in Trust Research Katinka M. Bijlsma-Frankema and Denise M. Rousseau Index
£147.00
Emerald Publishing Limited Handbook of Survey Research
Book Synopsis"The Handbook of Survey Research, Second Edition" builds on its widely-recognized 1983 predecessor by updating its previous historical account of the development of survey research and the evolution of social science before going on to examine new and expanded usages of survey research during the past half century. Editors Peter Marsden (Harvard University) and James D. Wright (University of Central Florida), long-time editor of Elsevier's Social Science Research, have created an authoritative reference book and an excellent starting point for anyone requiring a broad examination of the field. Detailed chapters include: sampling; measurement; questionnaire construction and question writing; survey implementation and management; survey data analysis; special types of surveys; and integrating surveys with other data collection methods. This handbook is distinguished from other texts by its greater comprehensiveness and depth of coverage including topics such as measurement models, the role of cognitive psychology, surveying networks, and cross-national/cross-cultural surveys. Timely and relevant it includes materials that are only now becoming highly influential topics.Table of ContentsDedication. List of Contributors. Preface and Acknowledgements Part 1: Introduction and Overview. 1. Survey Research and Social Science: History, Current Practice and Future Prospects - James D. Wright and Peter V. Marsden. 2. Overview of Design Issues: Total Survey Error - Paul P. Biemer. 3. Legal and Human Subjects Considerations in Surveys - Constance F. Citro. Part 2: Survey Sampling. 4. Sampling Theory - Martin Frankel. 5. Fundamentals of Applied Sampling - Thomas Piazza. 6. Applied Sampling for Large-Scale Multistage Area Probability Designs - Rachel Harter, Stephanie Eckman, Ned English and Colm O'Muircheartaigh. 7. Sample Size, Optimum Allocation, and Power Analysis - Kenneth C. Land and Hui Zheng. 8. Analysis of Data from Complex Surveys - Richard T. Campbell and Michael L. Berbaum. Part 3: Survey Measurement. 9. Question and Questionnaire Design - Jon A. Krosnick and Stanley Presser. 10. The Psychology of Survey Response - Roger Tourangeau and Norman M. Bradburn. 11. Measurement Models for Survey Research - George W. Bohrnstedt. 12. How Good is Survey Measurement? Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Survey Measures - Duane F. Alwin. Part 4: Survey Data Collection. 13. Interviewers and Interviewing - Nora Cate Schaeffer, Jennifer Dykema and Douglas W. Maynard. 14. Telephone Surveys - Paul J. Lavrakas. 15. Mail Surveys and Paper Questionnaires - Chase H. Harrison. 16. Internet Surveys - Mick P. Couper and Michael Bosnjak. 17. Mixed-Mode Surveys - Don A. Dillman and Benjamin L. Messer. 18. Managing Survey Research Projects - John M. Kennedy, John Tarnai and James G. Wolf. Part 5: Preparing, Augmenting and Disseminating Survey Data. 19. Survey Nonresponse - John Dixon and Clyde Tucker. 20. Missing Data - Paul D. Allison. 21. Linking Administrative and Survey Data - Julia Lane. 22. Surveys and Geographic Information Systems - Frank M. Howell and Jeremy R. Porter. 23. Archiving, Documentation, and Dissemination - Mary B. Vardigan and Peter Granda Part 6: Special Types of Surveys. 24. Surveying Across Nations and Cultures - Tom W. Smith. 25. Panel Surveys: Conducting Surveys Over Time - Frank P. Stafford. 26. Analyzing Data from Repeated Surveys - Glenn Firebaugh. 27. Surveys in Applied Social Research - Timothy P. Johnson and James D. Wright. 28. Survey Experiments - Steven L. Nock and Thomas M. Guterbock. Index
£87.39
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Improving Outcomes for Children and Families:
Book SynopsisSignificant amounts of money and resources are spent on child and family services, so successful evaluation of whether or not they are achieving the best outcomes is therefore essential. This edited collection offers an international perspective on the challenges of designing and undertaking outcome-based evaluation of child and family services. With contributions from leading international experts, it introduces the key ideas and issues currently being debated in the evaluation of these services; discusses relevant approaches to designing and using evaluation methods; and provides examples of evaluation from the real world of policy and practice. Issues covered include setting appropriate indicators for service effectiveness, cross-cultural evaluation of service interventions, service user involvement in evaluation, and evaluations of family and community-based services. This invaluable book will be essential reading for policy makers, planners, commissioners and managers across child and family welfare services, as well as researchers and other academics in the field.Trade ReviewIn conclusion, the articles in the book are a collection of research and journal articles from international academics. The targeted audience of this book would be the practitioner who is keen to embark on research or the worker who wishes to read more about international evidence from other countries... there are some interesting policy perspectives from other countries which practitioners might consider advocating in the New Zealand context with the hope that such policies might improve the wellbeing of children and their families. -- Aotearoa New Zealand Social WorkTable of ContentsForeword. James K. Whittaker, University of Washington, USA. Part 1. Evaluating Outcomes for Children and Families: Improving the Evidence Base. 1. Improving the Evidence Base. Anthony N. Maluccio, University of Connecticut, USA, Cinzia Canali, Fondazione Zancan, Italy, Tiziano Vecchiato, Fondazione Zancan, Italy, Anita Lightburn, Fordham University, USA, Jane Aldgate, The Open University, UK and Wendy Rose, The Open University, UK. 2. Demystifying Evidence in Child Welfare. Nina Biehal, University of York, UK. 3. Unlocking the Mysteries of Program Evaluation: Lessons from a Comprehensive Evaluation of an Innovative Program to Reunify Families. Barbara A. Pine and Robin Spath, University of Connecticut, USA. Part 2. Methods for Finding and Using Evidence. 4. Evaluating Complexity in Community-Based Programs. Anita Lightburn, Fordham University, USA, and Chris Warren-Adamson, University of Southampton, UK. 5. Approaches to Evaluation in Services for Families and Children. Cinzia Canali, Anthony N. Maluccio and Tiziano Vecchiato. 6. Understanding the Nature, Structure and Context of Services in Family Support Centres. Marianne Berry, University of Kansas, USA, and Colleen Reed, University of Denver, USA. 7. In Their Own Words: Alumni of Foster Care in the US Talk about Preparation for Independent Living. Anne Nicoll, University of Washington, USA, Kate Holmes Thompson, Peter J. Pecora, Catherine Roller White, Kirk O'Brien, Casey Family Programs, USA, and Arron K. Fain, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, USA. 8. The Challenge of Using Administrative Data in Cross-National Evaluations of Services in Out-of-Home Care. June Thoburn, University of East Anglia, UK. Part 3. Evaluating Outcomes in the Real World: International Evidence from Community-Based Practice. 9. Taking Standardised Programmes to Different Cultural Contexts: An Example from Scotland. Jane Aldgate and Wendy Rose. 10. Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: Risk Assessment and Evaluation of Early Prevention Programmes. Hans Grietens, University of Leuven, Belgium. 11. Identifying Outcomes at the Sunshine Family Centre in Outer London. Marian Brandon, University of East Anglia, UK. 12. The Important Place of Professional Relationship: A Case Study of an Israeli Family. Anat Zeira, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. 13. Evaluation of Sensitised Practice in a Community Centre in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Robyn Munford, Massey University, New Zealand, Jackie Sanders, Massey University, New Zealand, and Bruce Maden, Te Aroha Noa Community Services, New Zealand. 14. Assessing Practice in a Child and Family Centre in Australia. Patricia M. McNamara, La Trobe University, Australia. Afterword. Cross-National Perspectives and Ideas. Mark Ezell, University of Kansas, USA. References. The Contributors. Subject Index. Author Index.
£59.39
Emerald Publishing Limited Civil Society in Comparative Perspective
Book SynopsisThis book presents a collection of comparative studies of civil society around two main issues: the comparison and analysis of civil society regimes in relation to different constructions of citizenship and welfare states and the role of civil society in governance and active participation of citizens. The first part of the book is concerned with comparisons of civil society institutional frameworks and regimes. In this section the contributions address the ways institutional cross-countries comparisons may be undertaken and discuss the extent to which common trends or divergent tendencies characterize national civil societies. The second part focuses on the role of civil society as a vector of citizens' participation and as an avenue for democracy. Democratic citizenship is often considered as requiring, in addition to a set of formal rights and obligations, a public sphere within which citizens can actively participate within and beyond the state. Building on international comparisons the articles in this section discuss the extent to and the modalities by which civil society is crucial to the functioning of democracy and the plain exercise of citizenship.Table of ContentsList of Contributors. EDITORIAL BOARD. Preface. The third sector in Europe: Does it exhibit a converging movement?. Civil society and new forms of governance: The case of childcare services in a European perspective. Public governance roles of third sector organisations in Ireland: A comparison with South Africa. Toward a typology of civil society: Understanding non-government public action. Does public spending “crowd out” nonprofit welfare?. Civil society organizations and advocacy: A comparative study between Brazil and the United States. The role of civil society organisations in different nonprofit regimes: Evidence from Austria and the Czech Republic. Making volunteering work: The power of voluntary organizations to enhance civic skills. Some evidences from the European Social Survey. Opportunity structure for citizens’ participation in a European network civil society: A theoretical perspective. Organized civil society, volunteering and citizenship. The spirit of the civil sphere: Activating static conceptions of volunteerism and citizenship. Comparative social research. Civil society in comparative perspective. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
£87.99
Emerald Publishing Limited New Frontiers in Ethnography
Book SynopsisThis volume seeks to address continuities and innovations within the ethnographic canon. It uses Hammersley's (1991) book "What's Wrong with Ethnography" to open and situate the debate, but then moves to engage with contemporary debates and arguments on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, ethnography has matured to become the dominant research paradigm in some sub-disciplines, but it has also been forced to adapt in response to the theoretical challenge of post-structuralism. The book examines in detail the way some more innovative and problematic ways ethnographers have reacted. Throughout, the book seeks to present a critical, realised evaluation of the strength and limitations of ethnography for the future, by celebrating recent innovations, unusual applications or instances of ethnographic practice. Like Hammersley's book in 1991, it faces and challenges fundamental questions regarding ethnography's very contribution to knowledge. The chapters in this volume are designed to appeal to the novice and the experienced ethnographer; for those embarking on ethnographic work for the first time as well as those looking to move into new methodological directions.Table of ContentsList of Contributors. Introduction. Chapter 1 What's (still) wrong with ethnography?. Chapter 2 The vitality of ethnographic research on race. Chapter 3 On the value of Marxism in the understanding and analysis of social class in educational ethnography and the misunderstanding of class as an epistemological category by critics of Marxist and other critical traditions. Chapter 4 Ethnography and the myth of participant observation. Chapter 5 Dual ontologies and new ecologies of knowledge: rethinking the politics and poetics of ‘touch’. Chapter 6 Ethnography as dangerous, sad, and dirty work. Chapter 7 Naughty knickers, stick-on nipples and Mrs Doubtfire: The ‘humourous’ talk of post-mastectomy women. Chapter 8 Envisioning undocumented historias: Evoking a critical performance ethnography. Chapter 9 How could you possibly know anything about that? Methodological congruence in the conduct of life history research. Chapter 10 Technology and the end of ethnography. Subject Index. Studies in Qualitative Methodology. Studies in Qualitative Methodology. Copyright page.
£85.99
Octopus Publishing Group Man Facts: Fascinating Things Every Bloke Should
Book SynopsisIt's time to celebrate your inner geek with this treasure trove of lists and prime cuts of knowledge. Time to brush up on what you'd forgotten or misremembered, and discover what you never had a clue was true. Ranging across history, science and the natural world, taking in sport, film, food and much more, Man Facts gives you a wealth of up-to-date stats and eye-opening trivia that will make you a general-knowledge genius, or at least help you nail your next pub quiz. Dig in.
£9.99
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Drawing Inferences from Statistical Data
Book SynopsisOpen Learning Units offer a very flexible approach to the teaching of psychology. They are designed to be more than sufficient for the purposes of A/S and A-Level psychology, and the applied emphasis will appeal to various vocational courses such as those offered by BTEC and also to mature students on Access courses. Their primary use will be in the classroom with a tutor's guidance, but the interactive style makes them equally appropriate for the purposes of self-study. More advanced students might want to use the Units to learn at their own pace, and in all cases, the careful structure of the writing and the extensive use of Examples, Open Questions and Self-Assessment Questions make them ideal revision guides.Table of Contents1. Making inferences about populations. 2. The Characteristics of significance tests. 3. Inferences from scores that occur in pairs. 4. Inferences from scores that are not in pairs. 5. Interpreting the frequencies of categories in a single sample. 6. Interpreting the frequencies of categories in two or more samples. 7. Summary of the statistical methods in this unit. Glossary. Answers to self-assessment questions. Answers to 'something to try' activities
£24.65
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Carrying out Investigations in Psychology:
Book SynopsisThis is a complete text combining practical data collection, research and statistical analysis, plus how to write up reports. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are discussed in-depth. This is an essential all-in-one text for students undertaking practical courses in AS/A2 psychology and undergraduates.Trade Review'An excellent contemporary text from respective quantitative and qualitative focused authors, complementing each other to reflect the diversity of methodology available in psychological research. The nature of scientific enquiry is explained clearly, together with ethical issues. A range of quantitative approaches (beyond the traditional experiment) and qualitative approaches (e.g. discourse analysis) are discussed and stages of research from planning to reporting are all covered to A-level standard and beyond. Overall, an excellent text for the eclectic researcher.' Association of Teachers in Psychology (ATP). Table of Contents1. Introduction to quantitative and qualitative approaches to psychology. 2. Ethical issues. 3. Quantitative approaches: the experiment. 4. Quantitative approaches: beyond the experiment. 5. Quantitative approaches. 6. Psychological techniques: measuring performance. 7. Psychological techniques: psychometric tests. 8. Psychological techniques: self-report measures. 9. Psychological techniques: 'natural behaviour' measures. 10. Planning the investigation. 11. Quantitative data analysis. 12. Data from qualitative research. 13. Using computers. 14. Producing the report. 15. Presenting the quantitative results.
£39.85
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for
Book SynopsisThis book explains the principal qualitative methods and applies them to psychological problems. It is designed for use in psychology and also other branches of social science. The books main aim is to increase people's confidence to use qualitative methods in their own research.Trade Review'In view of the increased attention being given to qualitative methods, this volume is timely and should provide a thorough introduction to the topic, growing as it has out of a series of workshops held by the BPS over several years... This book should prove very useful as a set text on a research methods course for a number of disciplines and would be a welcome addition to the library of those currently engaged in research, giving many new ideas and challenging preconceptions about qualitative methods.' Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Table of ContentsPart I: Introducing qualitative research methods. 1. Introduction. 2. Psychology, qualitative methods and the ideas of science. 3. Qualitative inquiry: perspectives, methods and psychology. Part II: Using qualitative research methods. 4. Protocol analysis: theoretical background. 5. Protocol analysis: practical implementation. 6. Grounded theory: theoretical background. 7. Grounded theory: practical implementation. 8. Ethnography: theoretical background. 9. Ethnography: practical implementation. 10. Discourse analysis and constructionist approaches: theoretical background. 11. Discourse analysis: practical implementation. Part III: Evaluating qualitative research methods. 12. The relationship between qualitative and quantitative research. 13. The use of the self in qualitative research. 14. Evolving issues for qualitative psychology.
£40.80
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Knowledge, Innovation and Economy: An
Book SynopsisIn Knowledge, Innovation and Economy, Witold Kwasnicki examines industrial dynamics from an evolutionary perspective, applying a biological model to the analysis of economic problems.Focusing on issues of methodology, knowledge development, and cultural and social evolution, the first part of the book develops parallels, similarities and discrepancies between knowledge development and biological evolution. An evolutionary model of industrial development, presented in the second part of the book, incorporates both the industrial and innovation processes. The author compares and contrasts this model's behaviour with that of well-known, classical models of development. Contemporary economic problems relating to cumulative causation and path dependency are discussed in the final chapter.Knowledge, Innovation and Economy provides new insights into industrial and economic development which will be welcomed by economists concerned with industrial processes and organization, the innovation process and technological change.Trade Review'This book presents an excellent evolutionary analysis of core constructs of industrial economics using a simulation model targeted primarily on pricing strategy and product competition. . . . this is a solid contribution to the stream of work focused on the complexity of industry growth processes. . . . the work deserves attention from those using simulation models of industry development and those who are interested in developing the product/demand side of evolutionary theory.'Table of ContentsContents: Preface Part I: Knowledge and Evolution 1. Conventionalism in Socio-economic Analysis 2. Knowledge Development as an Evolutionary Process 3. Taxonomy of Knowledge Part II: Economy and Evolution 4. Neoclassical and Evolutionary Perspectives in Economics 5. The Evoluntionary Model of Industry Development 6. Economic Analysis and the Model 7. Innovation and Economic Development 8. Chance and Necessity in Economic Development Appendix: Basic Values of the Model Parameters Bibliography Index
£106.00
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd The Dynamics of Inequality and Poverty: Comparing
Book SynopsisThis important book is concerned with the evaluation of changes in income distribution and the analysis of tax and transfer systems.The book begins with an introduction to the measurement of inequality and poverty, stressing the role of value judgements. The following six chapters deal with cross- sectional comparisons, including the analysis of a labour market model of income distribution, the choice of transfer system, marginal indirect tax reform, and the distributional effects of inflation. The next seven chapters are concerned with dynamic aspects of income distribution. These examine the complex relationship between cross-sectional and lifetime distributions, relative income mobility, and the effects of income mobility on temporary and permanent poverty.The Dynamics of Inequality and Poverty will be essential reading for students and scholars of public sector economics, welfare economics and social economics, along with those directly concerned with policy formulation.Trade Review'. . . this book is likely to be of most interest to specialists in income distribution and tax-transfer systems. Since many of the original articles are not easily accessible, it is convenient to have them brought together.' -- S.P. Jenkins, Journal of EconomicsTable of ContentsContents: Part I: Introduction 1. Introduction and Outline 2. Measuring Inequality and Poverty Part II: Cross-sectional Comparisons 3. Cross-sectional comparisons 4. A Model of Income Distribution 5. Comparing Transfer Systems 6. Poverty with Threshold Consumption 7. Indirect Tax Reform 8. The Distributional Effects of Inflation Part III: Income Dynamics 9. Income Dynamics 10. Mobility and Inequality 11. Income Dynamics over the Life Cycle 12. Evaluating Income Tax Changes 13. Income Taxation and the Time Period 14. Mobility and Social Welfare 15. Poverty over Two Periods Index
£118.00
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Industrial Organisation and Innovation: An
Book SynopsisThis important book provides a systematic and quantitative analysis of the development of the software industry: the major growth industry in advanced economies of the world. It presents the results of a comprehensive set of industry surveys to shed light on the differences in specialization and performance of US and European software firms.Salvatore Torrisi analyses the development of the software industry within the context of theories of technical change. He interprets exhaustive surveys of firms participating in software industries conducted between 1990 and 1997. These reveal the main characteristics of innovation activities in software, including the characteristics of product and process innovations, the sources of technological change within firms, the instruments for the protection of innovation and the nature of innovative skills. The author also compares the historical evolution of software activities in Europe and in the United States and explains the differences in specialization and performance in terms of the geographical proximity to leading hardware manufacturers, the size of the domestic market, regulation and public policies, including property rights and anti-trust.This unparalleled book will be required reading for academics interested in industrial organisation and the economics of innovation.Trade Review'A valuable comparative study of the innovation process within the software industry . . . This is a useful application of the larger innovation field to the special aspects of software development.' -- Communication Booknotes Quarterly'. . . Dr Torrisi's book breaks new ground in its attempt to ground the analysis of the structure and growth of the software industry in the economics of innovation and industrial organisation. This informative and stimulating book should inspire further work on a major growth industry which has transformed economic organisation and management.' -- V.N. Balasubramanyam, Business HistoryTable of ContentsContents: Preface by Kevin Pavitt 1. Introduction 2. Innovation and Knowledge-Intensive Production 3. The Market for Software and Services 4. The Evolution of Industry Structure, Industrial Policies and Firm Strategies 5. Product and Process Innovation in Software Activities 6. In-House Skills and External Sources of Innovation 7. Conclusions 8. Appendices
£95.00
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Measuring Welfare Changes and Tax Burdens
Book SynopsisThis book is concerned with some of the conceptual and practical problems of measuring the changes in welfare of individuals and the excess burdens arising from taxation. It provides an introductory review of alternative concepts and practical approaches to the measurement of welfare as well as providing a number of practical examples of welfare analyses in a variety of contexts.The excess burden of a tax is a central concept in economics. John Creedy provides an introduction to various concepts of welfare change, paying particular attention to the measurement issues involved. He then applies the methods outlined to the measurement of marginal tax reform and indirect tax reform, with empirical data taken from Australia. He also examines the redistributive effect of price changes in Australia between 1980 and 1995, and the effects of inflation in New Zealand over the period 1993-1995. Finally, he calculates the welfare costs of monopoly and measures the burdens of carbon taxation and welfare.Measuring Welfare Changes and Tax Burdens will be of interest to students and academics working in the areas of public finance and public policy, as well as economists working in government.Trade Review'This book will be of interest to advanced students and economists working in the area of public policy.' -- Aslib Book GuideTable of ContentsContents: Part I: Introduction 1. Introduction and Outline Part II: Theory and Methods 2. Review of Demand Analysis 3. Concepts of Welfare Change 4. Measuring Welfare Changes 5. A Convenient Parametric Approach 6. Equivalent Incomes and Optimal Taxation Part III: Applications 7. Marginal Tax Reform 8. Indirect Tax Reform 9. The Distributional Effects of Inflation 10. Welfare Costs of Monopoly 11. Carbon Taxation and Welfare Bibliography Index
£95.00
Bristol University Press Systemic action research: A strategy for whole
Book SynopsisSystemic Action Research works with real social and organisational issues to uncover their complex dynamics, often revealing unexpected opportunities. This book shows how this process can be integrated, in any context, to the process of social and organisational development and change. The book explains how systemic thinking works and how Systemic Action Research can be embedded into organisational structures and processes to catalyse sustainable change and critical local interventions. Practically written, it details how to design a programme and build it directly into policy and practice development, extending the possibilities of action research beyond the 'individual' and the 'group' to work across whole organisations, multi agency governance arenas, and networks. The book is filled with illustrative stories and pictures which bring the concepts to life enabling the reader to develop a clear picture of how to put it into practice.Systemic Action Research programmes are now being adopted in Government and local governance contexts as well as in national and international NGOs. This book will be invaluable for experienced action researchers as well as social science and social policy researchers who will benefit from an approach to qualitative research which is participative, grounded in practice and allows systemic understandings of complex problems. Policy makers and practitioners will appreciate a process which generates meaningful evidence about the dynamics of change and offers a tangible system for continuously integrating that learning into both formal and informal decision-making.Trade Review"If one is wondering if yet another book on action research is worth reading or buying, I recommend this one". David Coghlan in Action Learning"I strongly recommend this book". John Diamond in ARVAC Bulletin"Two decades on from Robert Chamber's epic "Rural Development, Putting the Last First", this book is a milestone in development thinking." Stuart Worsley, Director of SNV Kenya and Southern Sudan - The Netherlands Development OrganisationTable of ContentsContents: Why action research?; Historical and theoretical perspectives on large system action research; Action research as ...; Methods and techniques; The Bristol Children's Initiative Project: a case study of large systems work; Methodological issues in large scale action research; Issues for action researchers; Designing large scale action research projects; The potential of large scale action research for organisational and community transformation.
£30.39
John Wiley & Sons Inc Designing and Analysis Questionnaires and
Book SynopsisThe fundamental aim of this book is to provide accessible, detailed, good practice guidelines that also address the political and ethical problems of conducting surveys within the health professions. A book to demystify, educate and provide the kind of practical tips that will make the process as straightforward as possible.Table of ContentsPart 1. Background principles. The basic rationale. Determining objectives and hypotheses. Under what circumstances should the survey be undertaken? Researching the problem. Part 2. The General Survey Design. An overview of the design. Choosing between postal and interview surveys. Obtaining the right size and type of sample. Part 3. Survey and questionnaire formats. Generating the items. Writing the survey. Part 4. Evaluating the items. The pilot study. Part 5. Analysing the results. Analysing data from surveys. Part 6. The report. Presenting the survey results. Evaluating reports. Evaluating reports together with introductory critiques.
£50.30
Daraja Press Travails Of A Tanzanian Teacher
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Advanced Statistics in Criminology and Criminal
Book SynopsisThis book provides the student, researcher or practitioner with the tools to understand many of the most commonly used advanced statistical analysis tools in criminology and criminal justice, and also to apply them to research problems. The volume is structured around two main topics, giving the user flexibility to find what they need quickly. The first is “the general linear model” which is the main analytic approach used to understand what influences outcomes in crime and justice. It presents a series of approaches from OLS multivariate regression, through logistic regression and multi-nomial regression, hierarchical regression, to count regression. The volume also examines alternative methods for estimating unbiased outcomes that are becoming more common in criminology and criminal justice, including analyses of randomized experiments and propensity score matching. It also examines the problem of statistical power, and how it can be used to better design studies. Finally, it discusses meta analysis, which is used to summarize studies; and geographic statistical analysis, which allows us to take into account the ways in which geographies may influence our statistical conclusions.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Multiple Regression- Chapter 3. Multiple Regression: Additional Topics.- Chapter 4. Logistic Regression.- Chapter 5. Multivariate Regression With Multiple Category Nominal or Ordinal Measures.- Chapter 6. Count-Based Regression Models.- Chapter 7. Multilevel Regression Models.- Chapter 8. Statistical Power.- Chapter 9. Special Topics: Randomized Experiments.- Chapter 10. Propensity Score Matching.- Chapter 11. Meta-Analysis.- Chapter 12. Spatial Regression.
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Multivariate Humanities
Book SynopsisThis case study-based textbook in multivariate analysis for advanced students in the humanities emphasizes descriptive, exploratory analyses of various types of datasets from a wide range of sub-disciplines, promoting the use of multivariate analysis and illustrating its wide applicability. Fields featured include, but are not limited to, historical agriculture, arts (music and painting), theology, and stylometrics (authorship issues). Most analyses are based on existing data, earlier analysed in published peer-reviewed papers.Four preliminary methodological and statistical chapters provide general technical background to the case studies. The multivariate statistical methods presented and illustrated include data inspection, several varieties of principal component analysis, correspondence analysis, multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, regression analysis, discriminant analysis, and three-mode analysis.The bulk of the text is taken up by 14 case studies that lean heavily on graphical representations of statistical information such as biplots, using descriptive statistical techniques to support substantive conclusions. Each study features a description of the substantive background to the data, followed by discussion of appropriate multivariate techniques, and detailed results interpreted through graphical illustrations. Each study is concluded with a conceptual summary. Datasets in SPSS are included online.Table of Contents
£67.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Permutation Statistical Methods with R
Book SynopsisThis book takes a unique approach to explaining permutation statistics by integrating permutation statistical methods with a wide range of classical statistical methods and associated R programs. It opens by comparing and contrasting two models of statistical inference: the classical population model espoused by J. Neyman and E.S. Pearson and the permutation model first introduced by R.A. Fisher and E.J.G. Pitman. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented, supplemented with a variety of R scripts for ease of computation. The text follows the general outline of an introductory textbook in statistics with chapters on central tendency and variability, one-sample tests, two-sample tests, matched-pairs tests, completely-randomized analysis of variance, randomized-blocks analysis of variance, simple linear regression and correlation, and the analysis of goodness of fit and contingency. Unlike classical statistical methods, permutation statistical methods do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity, depend only on the observed data, and do not require random sampling. The methods are relatively new in that it took modern computing power to make them available to those working in mainstream research. Designed for an audience with a limited statistical background, the book can easily serve as a textbook for undergraduate or graduate courses in statistics, psychology, economics, political science or biology. No statistical training beyond a first course in statistics is required, but some knowledge of, or some interest in, the R programming language is assumed. Trade Review“This book is a real gem for statistics lovers for several reasons (novelty and depth of the topics covered, facilities to understand them for newcomers to statistics, to name just a few).” (Oscar Bustos, zbMATH 1480.62001, 2022)Table of ContentsPreface.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The R Programming Language.- 3 Permutation Statistical Methods.- 4 Central Tendency and Variability.- 5 One-sample Tests.- 6 Two-sample Tests.- 7 Matched-pairs Tests.- 8 Completely-randomized Designs.- 9 Randomized-blocks Designs.- 10 Correlation and Association.- 11 Chi-squared and Related Measures.- References.- Index.
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Youth Participation and Learning: Critical
Book SynopsisThis book contributes to the studies on learning processes occurring outside “traditional” socialization settings such as family and school, by analysing civic and political participation and learning experiences. In this perspective, the book delves into the connections between the concepts of learning and participation and, in various ways and from different perspectives, critically interrogates learning and participation as interrelated phenomena, with the aim of revealing complexities implicated in pathways to adulthood. Being interdisciplinary in its nature (contributors come from disciplinary backgrounds such as educational sciences, child and youth studies, social work, sociology and political science), the volume provides an up-to date analysis of contemporary issues connected to youth participation and learning. The work taps into central areas of everyday life of young people and youth meaning-making and generates and presents qualitative knowledge about what it means to be young in Europe today.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction: Youth participation and learning.- Chapter 2. Three major challenges in young people´s political participation and a pragmatic way forward.- Chapter 3. Learning to participate in and through conflict.- Chapter 4. Professionalization of Youth Volunteering in Turkey: A case study.- Chapter 5. Youth Participation and Mediation Practices: Issues of Social Learning.- Chapter 6. Participation through Learning: Supporting Young People in Exile.- Chapter 7. The theatre as a laboratory of creativity and chaos: youth participation and informal processes of multidimensional learning.- Chapter 8. Mimesis and sharing: learning political imagination in everyday interactions.- Chapter 9. What do young people learn in formal settings of youth participation?.- Chapter 10. Politics of re-framing: Youth and the struggle for equal participation in the urban peripheries of Sweden.- Chapter 11. Young People’s Spatial Practices as a Key to a different Perspective on Participatory Educational Landscapes - Reflections on Graffiti and Parkour.
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Italian Studies on Food and Quality of Life
Book SynopsisThe book explores, through a reflection on food, the complexity of the concept of well-being. It starts from the consideration that food is a fundamental element for human well-being, and for well-being of the planet as a whole. Not only does food guarantee the survival of human beings, it is also a cultural expression. With regard to the Italian socio-cultural context, the contributors explore how food relates to aspects such as history, tradition, new food styles, health, and the old and new technologies used to produce food. The studies in the book do not simply analyse indicators to illustrate the Italian situation in the "here and now". As part of the tradition of studies on social indicators, they provide valid and well-founded indications to contribute to an improvement in the quality of life for years to come.This work on the theme of food represents a very useful contribution to the general reflection on well-being and its statistical, sociological, and multidisciplinary study, due to the importance historically given to food in Italy and the socio-cultural implications of food in various life contexts.Table of Contents- 1. The Relationship between Food Styles and Health: A Contribution from Italian Official Data. - 2. Sagre and Quality of Life. The Italian Heritage of Popular Gastronomy. - 3. New Food and Restaurant Trends. - 4. Food Consumption Associated with Health Status and Lifestyle Factors in the Adult Italian Regional Population: An Analysis Proposal for Official Statistics Data. - 5. On the Theory of Measurement of Experience-Based Food Insecurity at the Global Level. - 6. Experienced Food Insecurity: A Compared Analysis between Formative and Reflective Approach. - 7. Agriculture and New Technologies: A Basic Challenge for the Twenty-First Century. - 8. Food and Communities: Perspectives of Sharing Society. - 9. Epilogue—Food Memories and Quality of Life.
£999.99
Springer International Publishing AG Non-Academic Careers for Quantitative Social
Book SynopsisThis book is a guide to non-academic careers for quantitative social scientists. Written by social science PhDs working in large corporations, non-profits, tech startups, and alt-academic positions in higher education, this book consists of more than a dozen chapters on various topics on finding rewarding careers outside the academy. Chapters are organized in three parts. Part I provides an introduction to the types of jobs available to social science PhDs, where those jobs can be found, and what the work looks like in those positions. Part II creates a guide for social science PhDs on how to set themselves up for such careers, including navigating the academic world of graduate school while contemplating non-academic options, and selling their academic experience in a non-academic setting. Part III offers perspectives on timelines for making non-academic career decisions, lifestyle differences between academia and non-academic jobs, and additional resources for those considering a non-academic route. Providing valuable insight on non-academic careers from those who have successfully made the transition, this volume will be an asset to graduate students, advisors, and recent PhDs, in quantitative social science. Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction: Surveying the Landscape of Industry Jobs.- Section 1: Career Paths.- Chapter 2. Data Science Needs You, Social Scientist.- Chapter 3. How to Thrive in the Data Industry Without a Traditional STEM Background.- Chapter 4. Alt-Academic Career Paths.- Chapter 5. From the Academy to Tech Startups: Considerations and Opportunities.- Chapter 6. Opportunities and Pathways in Survey Research.- Chapter 7. Market Research with a PhD in Sociology.- Chapter 8. Say Yes to Cultivating Your Future.- Chapter 9. Working in Government.- Chapter 10. Working in Quasi-Governmental Research.- Chapter 11. Proudly Disinterested: Public Administration and Social Science Ph.D. Programs.- Chapter 12. Applying the Transferrable Skill Set of a Ph.D. to Emerging Data Fieldsx.- Section 2: Advice for Non-Academic Job Success.- Chapter 13. How to Market Yourself for Careers Beyond the Professoriate.- Chapter 14. Beyond Visa Sponsorship: Navigating the Job Market as An Immigrant.- Chapter 15. So You Want to Work in Tech. How Do You Make the Leap?.- Chapter 16. Perspectives on Rapid Antigen Tests for Downstream Validation and Development of Theranostics.- Chapter 17. Kill, Pivot, Continue: Tips and Tricks for Career Transition Away From Academe.- Chapter 18. Presenting Academic Research in the Interview Process and Beyond: A Conversation Between Colleagues.- Chapter 19. Thriving in a Non-Academic Environment.- Chapter 20. You Got Your First Job, What About Your Second? Conversations with Women Social Scientists on Landing Multiple Non-Academic Jobs.- Chapter 21. Staying Academically Relevant in a Non-Academic Career.-
£71.24
Springer International Publishing AG Measuring Gender Equality: A Multidisciplinary
Book SynopsisIn this open access book, the editors explicitly address the issue of measuring gender equality. The book introduces readers to basic concepts of gender equality, equity and equal opportunities, then discusses measuring these phenomena, the methods of constructing indicators, and reviews the main indicators that have been proposed at the international level to measure gender equality. It then sets the theoretical discussions against the findings from a Jean Monnet project financed by the European Union to highlight the importance of a regional analysis of gender equality in four main study areas: Italy, Spain, France and Germany. The results make it clear that it is necessary to move from the purely national perspective hitherto used in gender equality analyses to a regional one because differences can be highly pronounced even within the same country. This is a self-contained volume requiring limited statistical expertise for the reader and is aimed at social researchers and policymakers who wish to address gender equality from a quantitative perspective.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Part I Gender studies and indicators for measuring gender equality.- Gender equality, equity and equal opportunities: the object of measurement.- Complexity of social phenomena and the construction of indicators.- The main indicators of gender inequality.- Part II Regional analysis of gender disparities in some European Countries.- The need for sub-national level analysis to measure gender inequality: opportunities and limitations.- Sociological analysis of Regional Gender Disparities in the study regions.- Data driven policy making: indicators and benchmarking.- Gender responsive regional fiscal policies: a European perspective.- Regional Analysis of Gender Equality for policymaking in the EU and the European Actions of Cohesion Policy.- Conclusions.
£42.74
Springer International Publishing AG Digital Transformation in the Viral Age
Book Synopsis
£94.99
Boehlau Verlag Aktenkunde Urkunden und Aktenlehre der Neuzeit
Book Synopsis
£47.50
Springer International Publishing AG Data-Driven Policy Impact Evaluation: How Access
Book SynopsisIn the light of better and more detailed administrative databases, this open access book provides statistical tools for evaluating the effects of public policies advocated by governments and public institutions. Experts from academia, national statistics offices and various research centers present modern econometric methods for an efficient data-driven policy evaluation and monitoring, assess the causal effects of policy measures and report on best practices of successful data management and usage. Topics include data confidentiality, data linkage, and national practices in policy areas such as public health, education and employment. It offers scholars as well as practitioners from public administrations, consultancy firms and nongovernmental organizations insights into counterfactual impact evaluation methods and the potential of data-based policy and program evaluation. Trade Review“This book, edited by Nuno Crato and Paolo Paruolo, provides a thorough analysis of evaluation studies and is a valuable contribution for a reader seeking to gain an understanding of the literature on microdata issues and the use of the results related to policy evaluation. … the book could be very useful to scholars interested in regional development and regional policy effectiveness given the topics and the discussions included.” (Roberto Gabriele, Regional Studies, Vol. 53 (6), 2019)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Part I: Microdata for Policy Research.- Part II: Microdata Access.- Part III: Counterfactual Studies.- Part IV: Use of Results.
£999.99
Springer International Publishing AG Practical Tools for Designing and Weighting
Book SynopsisThe goal of this book is to put an array of tools at the fingertips of students, practitioners, and researchers by explaining approaches long used by survey statisticians, illustrating how existing software can be used to solve survey problems, and developing some specialized software where needed. This volume serves at least three audiences: (1) students of applied sampling techniques; 2) practicing survey statisticians applying concepts learned in theoretical or applied sampling courses; and (3) social scientists and other survey practitioners who design, select, and weight survey samples. The text thoroughly covers fundamental aspects of survey sampling, such as sample size calculation (with examples for both single- and multi-stage sample design) and weight computation, accompanied by software examples to facilitate implementation. Features include step-by-step instructions for calculating survey weights, extensive real-world examples and applications, and representative programming code in R, SAS, and other packages. Since the publication of the first edition in 2013, there have been important developments in making inferences from nonprobability samples, in address-based sampling (ABS), and in the application of machine learning techniques for survey estimation. New to this revised and expanded edition: • Details on new functions in the PracTools package • Additional machine learning methods to form weighting classes • New coverage of nonlinear optimization algorithms for sample allocation • Reflecting effects of multiple weighting steps (nonresponse and calibration) on standard errors • A new chapter on nonprobability sampling • Additional examples, exercises, and updated references throughout Richard Valliant, PhD, is Research Professor Emeritus at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan and at the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, and has been an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Statistical Association, Journal of Official Statistics, and Survey Methodology. Jill A. Dever, PhD, is Senior Research Statistician at RTI International in Washington, DC. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, Associate Editor for Survey Methodology and the Journal of Official Statistics, and an Assistant Research Professor in the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland. She has served on several panels for the National Academy of Sciences and as a task force member for the American Association of Public Opinion Research’s report on nonprobability sampling. Frauke Kreuter, PhD, is Professor and Director of the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland, Professor of Statistics and Methodology at the University of Mannheim, and Head of the Statistical Methods Research Department at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in Nürnberg, Germany. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and has been Associate Editor of the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Journal of Official Statistics, Sociological Methods and Research, Survey Research Methods, Public Opinion Quarterly, American Sociological Review, and the Stata Journal. She is founder of the International Program for Survey and Data Science and co-founder of the Coleridge Initiative.Trade Review“This book attempts to explain long used approaches, illustrate how existing software can be used to solve survey problems, and develop some specialized software where needed with a focus on related practitioners (i.e. students, survey statisticians, and other survey practitioners). … this book may be useful to students, survey statisticians, social scientists and other survey practitioners. The book may also serve as a useful reference for other professionals engaged in the conduct of sample surveys.” (Sada Nand Dwivedi, ISCB News, iscb.info, Issue 67, June, 2019)Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgements1 An Overview of Sample Design and Weighting1.1 Background and Terminology1.2 Chapter GuidePart I Designing Single-Stage Sample Surveys2 Project 1: Design a Single-Stage Personnel Survey2.1 Specifications for the Study2.2 Questions Posed by the Design Team2.3 Preliminary Analyses2.4 Documentation2.5 Next Steps3 Sample Design and Sample Size for Single-Stage Surveys 3.1 Determining a Sample Size for a Single-Stage Design 3.1.1 Simple Random Sampling3.1.2 Stratified Simple Random Sampling3.2 Finding Sample Sizes When Sampling with Varying Probabilities 3.2.1 Probability Proportional to Size Sampling3.2.2 Regression Estimates of Totals3.3 Other Methods of Sampling3.4 Estimating Population Parameters from a Sample3.5 Special Topics3.5.1 Rare Characteristics3.5.2 Domain Estimates3.6 More Discussion of Design Effects3.7 Software for Sample Selection3.7.1 R Packages3.7.2 SAS PROC SURVEYSELECTExercises4 Power Calculations and Sample Size Determination 4.1 Terminology and One-Sample Tests4.2 Power in a One-Sample Test4.3 Two-Sample Tests4.3.1 Differences in Means4.3.2 Differences in Proportions4.3.3 Special Case: Relative Risk4.3.4 Special Case: Effect Sizes4.4 R Power Functions4.5 Power and Sample Size Calculations in SAS. Exercises5 Mathematical Programming5.1 Multicriteria Optimization5.2 Microsoft Excel Solver5.3 SAS PROC NLP5.4 SAS PROC OPTMODEL5.5 R Alabama Package<6 Outcome Rates and Effect on Sample Size6.1 Disposition Codes6.2 Definitions of Outcome Rates6.3 Sample Units with Unknown AAPOR Classification6.4 Weighted Versus Unweighted Rates6.5 Accounting for Sample Losses in Determining Initial Sample Size6.5.1 Sample Size Inflation Rates at Work6.5.2 ReplicatesExercises7 The Personnel Survey Design Project: One Solution 7.1 Overview of the Project 7.2 Formulate the Optimization Problem7.2.1 Objective Function 7.2.2 Decision Variables 7.2.3 Optimization Parameters7.2.4 Specified Survey Constraints 7.3 One Solution 7.3.1 Power Analyses7.3.2 Optimization Results7.4 Additional Sensitivity Analysis7.5 Conclusion Part II Multistage Designs 8 Project 2: Designing an Area Sample 9 Designing Multistage Samples 9.1 Types of PSUs 9.2 Basic Variance Results 9.2.1 Two-Stage Sampling 9.2.2 Nonlinear Estimators in Two-Stage Sampling 9.2.3 More General Two-Stage Designs 9.2.4 Three-Stage Sampling 9.3 Cost Functions and Optimal Allocations for Multistage Sampling 9.3.1 Two-Stage Sampling When Numbers of Sample PSUs and Elements per PSU Are Adjustable 9.3.2 Three-Stage Sampling When Sample Sizes Are Adjustable 9.3.3 Two- and Three-Stage Sampling with a Fixed Set of PSUs 9.4 Estimating Measures of Homogeneity and Variance Components9.4.1 Two-Stage Sampling 9.4.2 Three-Stage Sampling 9.4.3 Using Anticipated Variances The lme4 R package has been updated so that the syntax in the 1st edition no longer works. We will revise the examples in this section for the new version of the package.9.5 Stratification of PSUs 9.6 Identifying Certainties Exercises10 Area Sampling10.1 Census Geographic Units10.2 Census Data and American Community Survey Data10.3 Units at Different Stages of Sampling10.3.1 Primary Sampling Units10.3.2 Secondary Sampling Units10.3.3 Ultimate Sampling Units10.4 Examples of Area Probability Samples10.4.1 Current Population Survey10.4.2 National Survey on Drug Use and Health10.4.3 Panel Arbeitsmarkt und Soziale Sicherung10.5 Composite MOS for Areas10.5.1 Designing the Sample from Scratch10.5.2 Using the Composite MOS with an Existing PSU Sample10.6 Effects of Population Change: The New Construction Issue10.7 Special Address Lists10.7.1 Allocations in ABS using Mathematical Programming Mathematical programming allows efficient allocations to be made to domains (e.g., age groups) using information on housing units that can be purchased from commercial list makers. Discussion and examples will be added to illustrate this technique. The following article will be the basis for examples:Valliant, R., Hubbard, F., Lee, S., Chang, W. (2014). “Efficient Use of Commercial Lists in Household Sampling”, Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, 2, 182-209.Exercises11 The Area Sample Design: One SolutionPart III Survey Weights and Analyses12 Project 3: Weighting a Personnel Survey13 Basic Steps in Weighting13.1 Overview of Weighting13.2 Theory of Weighting and Estimation13.3 Base Weights13.4 Adjustments for Unknown Eligibility13.5 Adjustments for Nonresponse13.5.1 Weighting Class Adjustments13.5.2 Propensity Score Adjustments13.5.3 Classification Algorithms13.6 Collapsing Predefined Classes13.7 Weighting for Multistage Designs13.8 Next Steps in WeightingExercises14 Calibration and Other Uses of Auxiliary Data in Weighting14.1 Weight Calibration14.2 Poststratified and Raking Estimators14.3 GREG and Calibration Estimation14.3.1 Links Between Models, Sample Designs, and Estimators-Special Cases14.3.2 More General Examples14.4 Weight Variability14.4.1 Quantifying the Variability14.4.2 Methods to Limit VariabilityExercises15 Variance Estimation15.1 Exact Methods15.2 Linear Versus Nonlinear Estimators15.3 Linearization Variance Estimation15.3.1 Estimation Method15.3.2 Confidence Intervals and Degrees of Freedom15.3.3 Accounting for Non-negligible Sampling Fractions15.3.4 Domain Estimation15.3.5 Assumptions and Limitations15.3.6 Special Cases: Poststratification and Quantiles15.3.7 Handling Multiple Weighting Steps with Linearization15.4 Replication15.4.1 Jackknife Replication15.4.2 Balanced Repeated Replication15.4.3 Bootstrap15.5 Combining PSUs or Strata15.5.1 Combining to Reduce the Number of Replicates15.5.2 How Many Groups and Which Strata and PSUs to Combine15.5.3 Combining Strata in One-PSU-per-Stratum Designs15.6 Handling Certainty PSUsExercises 16 Weighting the Personnel Survey: One Solution16.1 The Data Files16.2 Base Weights16.3 Disposition Codes and Mapping into Weighting Categories16.4 Adjustment for Unknown Eligibility16.5 Variables Available for Nonresponse Adjustment16.6 Nonresponse Adjustments16.7 Calibration to Population Counts16.8 Writing Output Files16.9 Example TabulationsPart IV Other Topics17 Multiphase Designs17.1 What is a Multiphase Design?17.2 Examples of Different Multiphase Designs17.2.1 Double Sampling for Stratification17.2.2 Nonrespondent Subsampling17.2.3 Responsive Designs17.2.4 General Multiphase Designs17.3 Survey Weights17.3.1 Base Weights17.3.2 Analysis Weights17.4 Estimation17.4.1 Descriptive Point Estimation17.4.2 Variance Estimation17.4.3 Generalized Regression Estimator (GREG)17.5 Design Choices 17.5.1 Multiphase versus Single Phase 17.5.2 Sample Size Calculations17.6 R SoftwareExercises18. Non-probability Samples18.1 Types of Non-probability Samples18.2 Potential Problems18.3 Quasi-randomization Approach18.4 Superpopulation Modeling Approach19 Process Control and Quality Measures19.1 Design and Planning19.2 Quality Control in Frame Creation and Sample Selection19.3 Monitoring Data Collection . . .19.4 Performance Rates and Indicators19.5 Data Editing19.5.1 Editing Disposition Codes19.5.2 Editing the Weighting Variables19.6 Quality Control of Weighting Steps19.7 Specification Writing and Programming19.8 Project Documentation and Archiving Part V. Backmatter Appendix A: Notation GlossaryAppendix B: Data SetsAppendix C: R Functions Used in this Book1 r="" overviewC.2 Author-Defined R FunctionsReferencesSolutions to Selected ExercisesSubject Index
£999.99
Duncker & Humblot Die Durchsetzungsfahigkeit Der Interessenverbande
Book Synopsis
£79.92
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Schließende Statistik: Eine Einführung für
Book SynopsisSchließende Statistik ist ein wichtiger Teil der Übungen zur Methodik der empirischen Sozialforschung. Dieses Lehrbuch kann ergänzend zu den Übungen, aber auch zum selbständigen Erarbeiten des Themas herangezogen werden. Der Stoff wird so dargestellt, dass besondere Kenntnisse der Mathematik nicht erforderlich sind. Table of ContentsGrundbegriffe - Normalverteilung - Schließverfahren für quantitative Variablen - Schließverfahren für Prozentwerte; der Schluss vom Sampleprozentsatz auf den Gesamtgruppenprozentsatz - Prüfung der Unterschiede zwischen Stichproben - Einseitige Tests - Die Chi-Quadrat-Verteilung - F-Test und Varianzanalyse
£999.99
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Situationsanalyse: Grounded Theory nach dem
Book SynopsisDie Situationsanalyse schließt an den Grounded Theory-Ansatz an, erweitert ihn und eröffnet neue Perspektiven für die qualitative Forschung in den Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften, die Professionsforschung sowie verwandte Arbeitsfelder. Präzise Mapping-Methoden generieren differenzierte und komplexe empirische Studien. Verwendet werden Interviews, ethnographisches, historisches, visuelles und anderes diskursives Datenmaterial, einschließlich Multi-Site-Forschung. Die Situationsanalyse verknüpft Diskurs und Handeln, Handlung und Struktur, Bild, Schrift und die historische Dimension der Phänomene zu "dichten Analysen". Situations-Maps verdeutlichen wichtige menschliche, nichtmenschliche, diskursive und andere Elemente und erlauben so, die Beziehungen zwischen ihnen zu analysieren. Maps von Sozialen Welten oder Arenen veranschaulichen kollektive Akteure und die Arenen ihres Engagements und Diskurses. Positions-Maps zeigen auf, welche Schlüsselpositionen eingenommen und auch welche nicht eingenommen werden. Die Situation selbst wird zum analytischen Schwerpunkt.Trade ReviewPressestimmen:"Das Erscheinen des Buches von Adele Clarke ist nichts weniger als ein Ereignis." Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung, 1-2013"[...] ein Buch, das [...] die interdisziplinäre qualitative Forschung in der BRD nachhaltig beeinflussen dürfte." www.socialnet.de, 21.02.2013Table of ContentsProlog: Neue Grundlagen für die Grounded Theory - Wie die Grounded Theory den postmodern turn anschiebt, und wie sie zugleich hindurch geschoben werden muss - Von den Ökologien der Chicagoer Schule zur Situationsanalyse - Die Wende zum Diskurs/zu Diskursen oder Wie führt man Situations-Maps und Situationsanalysen durch? - Wie analysiert man Diskurse? - Zum Mapping Narrativer Diskurse - Zum Mapping Historischer Diskurse
£52.24
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Einführung in die Methoden der
Book SynopsisIn den letzten Jahren hat die wissenschaftliche Beschäftigung mit Religion erheblich zugenommen. Sehr häufig fehlt den Forschenden jedoch das dafür notwendige methodische Rüstzeug. Hier will dieses Lehrbuch Abhilfe schaffen. Es führt ein in methodologische Prämissen und das praktische Vorgehen der etablierten sozialwissenschaftlichen Methoden und bezieht sie auf speziellen Gegebenheiten der Religion als Forschungsgegenstand. Der Forschungsprozess und ein breites Spektrum an Methoden der qualitativen wie der quantitativen Sozialforschung werden knapp vorgestellt sowie anhand beispielhafter Studien illustriert und erklärt.Table of ContentsMethoden der Religionsforschung und Religionssoziologie - Qualitative Methoden - Quantitative Methoden - Methodenpluralismus, Triangulation und Mixed Methods - Fazit: Methodenpluralismus und die Notwendigkeit systematischer Zugänge
£21.84
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Evaluation von Programmen und Projekten für eine
Book SynopsisEine attraktive demokratische Kultur ist keine Selbstverständlichkeit. Vielmehr müssen die Bedeutung und die Qualität demokratischer Werte und Normen immer wieder begreiflich und erlebbar gemacht werden. Aber welche Maßnahmen sind hierfür geeignet und welche nicht? Wie kann die Wirksamkeit von Programmen und Projekten optimiert werden? Wie kann sichergestellt werden, dass vorhandenes Wissen bei der Konzeption von Programmen und Projekten genutzt wird? Die BeitragsautorInnen geben Antworten auf diese Fragen. Ein Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf methodischen und praktischen Aspekten der Evaluation. Daneben wird aber auch den bisher kaum diskutierten grundsätzlichen Folgen von Evaluationsaktivitäten für die demokratische Kultur und die moderne Gesellschaft nachgegangen.Table of ContentsMit Beiträgen von Olaf Lobermeier, Rainer Strobl, Gesa Schirrmacher, Reinhard Koch, Roland Roth, Christian Lüders, Huey-Tsyh Chen, Thomas Widmer, Ulrich Wagner, Gunnar Lemmer, Manuel Eisner, Uwe Flick, Wolfgang Beywl, Susanne Giel, Andreas Zick, Reinhard Stockmann, Wilhelm Heitmeyer.
£999.99
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Interviews mit Experten: Eine praxisorientierte
Book SynopsisDie eminente Bedeutung von ExpertInneninterviews für die Forschungspraxis ist unumstritten. Sie gehören in vielen sozialwissenschaftlichen Disziplinen zur alltäglichen Forschungspraxis; sei es als eigenständige Erhebungsmethode, sei es als exploratives oder ergänzendes Instrument im Kontext quantitativer oder qualitativer Forschungsdesigns. Auf der anderen Seite sind ExpertInneninterviews trotz (oder wegen?) ihrer Praxisrelevanz methodisch wenig reflektiert. Dieses Defizit will der vorliegende Band beheben und eine übersichtliche, fundierte und an forschungspraktischen Problemen orientierte Einführung in Theorie und Praxis der ExpertInneninterviews bieten. Neben der Diskussion des methodologischen Hintergrunds und zentraler wissenssoziologischer Basisannahmen (ExpertInnenbegriff, Wissensformen) steht dabei insbesondere die Vorbereitung, Durchführung und Auswertung von ExpertInneninterviews im Mittelpunkt.Table of ContentsExpertinneninterviews als Methode qualitativer Sozialforschung.- Wer ist ein Experte?.- Wissens- und Interviewformen.- Der Zugang zu den Experten.- Frageformulierung und Strategien der Gesprächsführung.- Auswertungsverfahren.- Qualitätskriterien der Forschung.
£999.99
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Statistik: Eine verständliche Einführung
Book SynopsisDieses Lehrbuch der statistischen Datenanalyse wurde speziell für Einführungskurse konzipiert und richtet sich an alle, die eine leicht verständliche Einführung in die sozialwissenschaftliche Statistik suchen. Es bezieht sich auf das Feld der Erziehungs- und Sozialwissenschaften und behandelt den Stoff nicht als inhaltsunabhängiges mathematisches Wissen.Table of ContentsBasismethoden der Deskriptiv- und Inferenzstatistik.- Wichtige Techniken der grafischen Darstellung.- Grundzüge komplexerer Verfahren.- Outputs von SPSS und MYSTAT lesen.- Resultate statistischer Analysen interpretieren.- Ergebnisse von Forschungsprojekten verstehen.
£26.59
AV Akademikerverlag Die geistige Behinderung in der
Book Synopsis
£34.57
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Schulleitung und Schulentwicklung in Frankreich:
Book SynopsisWie arbeiten Schulleiterinnen und Schulleiter in Frankreich? Welche Herausforderungen erwarten sie im beruflichen Alltag? Wie ist ihr Verhältnis zur Schulentwicklung? Was können wir daraus für unseren Kontext lernen? Diesen Fragen widmet sich Pierre Tulowitzki in seiner Studie. Er untersucht, wie Schulleiterinnen und Schulleiter ihre Arbeitszeit verbringen, wann und wie sie sich Schulentwicklung widmen und welche Phänomene sich in diesem Kontext manifestieren. Grundlage sind Fallstudien an fünf weiterführenden Schulen (collèges) eines Schulbezirks bei Paris.Table of ContentsSchule und Schulleitung in Frankreich.- Schulentwicklung aus Sicht von Schulleitenden.- Konzeptionen von Leadership.- Die Shadowing-Methode als Instrument der Datengewinnung in sozialwissenschaftlichen Studien.
£33.74
