1. Workshop For TAs/RAs & Graduate Students Presents: http://www.aucegypt.edu/academic/clt

2. RESEARCH SKILLS Professor Pandeli M. Glavanis (PhD) Associate Director, CLT

3. Workshop Structure oResearch Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) oAwareness of Research Environment o5 MINUTE BREAK oResearch Management

4. All Examples Are Extracted From FINDING OUT FAST: INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS FOR POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT A THOMAS, J CHATAWAY & M WUYTS SAGE PUBLICATIONS, LONDON, 1998

5. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions I. Research Skills The Ability To Recognize And Validate Problems Knowledge Of Recent Advances Within One’s Field And In Related Areas

6. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions A. Zimbabwe Cooperatives BACKGROUND: Coop movement was in trouble & foreign NGO wants to help–commission research. EXAMINE: Tension between government & coop movement; ways in which foreign NGOs might provide further funding without Increasing tension with government. ASSUMPTIONS: Government bureaucracy had turned hostile despite political rhetoric.

7. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions Discussion What Is The Research Problem ? What Is The Research Question ? How Do You Validate It ? What Theoretical Context ? What Background Knowledge ?

8. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions Research In Zimbabwe Most coops were in fact in serious trouble; Many government officials were hostile; Foreign NGOs had created dependency; BUT ALSO FOUND OUT THAT A few successful coops which operated as commercial entities Problem of attitude: All saw coops as political, charitable social organisations;

9. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions More Assumptions Coops were passive recipients of charity from foreign NGOs; AND Business sector was hostile to coop movement

10. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions New Research Question How Can Foreign NGOs Help Coops To Become: - Politically and commercially independent - Make best use of government and business resources; i.e. break dependency on foreign NGOs

11. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions B. Land In Mozambique BACKGROUND: Peasants are being pushed off the land and afraid to talk about it. Foreign NGOs concerned. EXAMINE: How to use public international pressure to stop it. Foreign NGO commissions research. ASSUMPTIONS: Peasants cant defend themselves Government uninterested in peasant plight No public debate on issue

12. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions Discussion WHAT IS THE RESEARCH PROBLEM? HOW DO YOU VALIDATE IT? WHAT IS THE RESEARCH QUESTION? WHAT THEORETICAL CONCEPT? WHAT BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE?

13. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions Research In Mozambique GGovernment has already established National Land Commission to draft revisions to law to safeguard peasant rights; SSeveral local NGOs raising public awareness of the issue; and LLocal NGOs successful in helping some peasants defend their rights. (i.e. struggle to stop expropriation)

14. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions New Research Question  How to assist and influence the work of the National Land Commission?  How to assist local NGOs to fight more cases of expropriation?

15. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives A.Zimbabwe Cooperatives  B.Land In Mozambique B.Land In Mozambique  C.Problem Of Assumptions C.Problem Of Assumptions  Enter crowded airport lounge;  See one empty chair & I go to sit when I notice someone spilt a drink on the cushion;  I don’t have anything to wipe it so I sit on table;  Another passenger comes along, looks at chair and turns the cushion over and sits. WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THAT?

16. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms II. Research Environment Show a broad understanding of the context, at the national and international level, in which research takes place

17. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms A. Famine  Famine is due to a shortfall in available food  In most famine areas food was being exported during famine. How can this happen? PARADOX

18. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms Analytical Framework  WHAT DOES IT INVLOVE TO “EXPORT” FOOD?  WHERE IT IS “EXPORTED” TO?  WHO DOES IT?  WHY DO THEY DO IT?  WHO GETS IT?  WHY DO THEY GET IT? MARKET ECONOMY

19. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms Answer To Paradox AAmartya Sen (Nobel Laureate in Economics) has published extensively on the subject and showed – from extensive research – that: MMarket mechanisms (purchasing power) usually attracts food to wealthy urban areas and away from rural famine areas who in fact produce the limited food.

20. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms B. Global Worming Dispute between:  World Resources Institute in Washington  Centre for Science & Environment in India WRI argues that China and India (as countries) emit more CO 2 than the EU or Canada. CSE challenged the results

21. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms “COUNTRIES”  IS IT SIGNIFICANT THAT WRI RELIES ON “COUNTRIES” FOR ITS ANALYSIS? “UNIT”  IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE “UNIT” THAT CAN BE USED?  WHERE DOES CO 2 COME FROM?  WHO PRODUCES IT? Analytical Framework POPULATION & WEALTH

22. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms CSE Challenge EEmissions should be calculated according to population size and by country, –T–Thus China and India are well below the EU and Canada in global league table. and LLuxury emissions should not be compared to survival emissions. –D–Driving to the shops vs. fuel for cooking IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL POLICY ?

23. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms C. Genetically Manipulated Organisms (GMOs)  Third World Network (TWN) a Malaysian NGO is trying to influence global policy on GMOs  TWN makes use of scientists from GMOs producing countries who are opposed to GMOs to support their case IS THEIR METHODOLOGY OK?

24. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms Analytical Framework  WHAT ARE KEY ISSUES IN GMOs ?  WHO IS AFFECTED?  WHY IS TWN INVOLVED IN CAMPAIGN?  WHY USE SCIENTISTS?  WHO ELSE COULD THEY USE?  IS IT A SCIENTIFIC ISSUE? SCIENCE vs SOCIETY

25. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure  A.Famine A.Famine  B.Global Worming B.Global Worming  C.Genetically Manipulated C.Genetically Manipulated Organisms Science Is Not Always The Answer  The use of such scientists may give scientific credibility to TWNs argument BUT  Turns the entire GMO debate into a technical debate THUS RISK IS TECHNICAL RATHER THAN SOCIAL IN NATURE

26. Research Skills & Techniques (Problem Of Assumptions) Awareness of Research Environment Research Management Workshop Structure III. Research Management AApply effective project management through the setting of research goals, intermediate milestones and prioritization of activities USING PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODLOGY

27. 5 MINUTE BREAK