Manage the Issue of Satellite

¶ … manage the issue of satellite communication security under the new paradigm of Post-911 issues, increased technological sophistication and the ever increasing importance of satellite communication within the contemporary environment.

Paper uses a field study to examine the question of "security as a public good." This is a broader issue that has implications far beyond the communications industry, and indeed impacts policy, both foreign and domestic, issues with proprietary information, political science and culture, and even military and database security and electronic protection industries. In addition, the topic is broad enough that there is a significant level of terrorist-based resources that could contribute to the study.

The author has chosen to interview key personnel (level unnamed) from the five major satellite communications companies within the industry. An attached appendix of the interview questions and a categorical template of the results would be helpful to the reader. There is also some confusion on the manner in which the paradigm for the Institutional Analysis and Development framework will help the overall project, or the proposed reader understand the complexities of the network. Further, the Ostrom data using the "Action Situation: Communications Sector" lays out a basic template that is, as of this reading, yet unexplained.

Merging theory and policy into practical problems may require a mixed methods approach -- both quantitative and qualitative data sets. The current approach, data collected using semi-structured real-time interviews, might be able to identify some effective themes (if we think of these original interviews as a preliminary focus group), but more data of a robust nature will be necessary in order to blend synchronous and asynchronous models into the overall thesis of the paper.

Missing, thus far, is a robust case study research tool, more literature review that is multidisciplinary, and a design in which the impact of satellite security can be seen as more of the hub and spoke concept (what are the interactions between disciplines, how do satellites impact the world (historical, political, cultural), and how is the security issue germane to national and international interests?

Qualitative vs. Quantitative - Phenomenological inquiry, or qualitative research, applies a naturalistic approach that desires to understand phenomena in context-specific settings. Dianoetic positivism, or quantitative research, uses data-based methods and quantitative measures to test hypothetical generalizations. Each represents a fundamentally different inquiry paradigm, and researcher actions are based on the underlying assumptions of each paradigm (Sanders, 1997).

Qualitative research, broadly defined, means "any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification" (Strauss and Corbin, 1990, p. 17). Qualitative analysis results in a variant type of knowledge than does quantitative inquiry (Sanders, 1997). Qualitative methods focuses on human behavior and changes which results in conceptual framework which arises from data other than a generated hypotheses.

Findings - to adequately address the question and to present findings that are applicable to a thesis type paper (I am not clear of the level or complexity the final result should take), perhaps it would be more appropriate to narrow the research question from the broad-based to a specific industry, country, or application. In that way, more of the important ramifications can be explored in the appropriate level of detail and policy analysis can occur.

Suggestions

Narrow the focus of the study so that a broader literature review will be appropriate

Take that literature review and develop a hub and spokes model for your narrowed topic

Approach the methodology from an IMPACT point-of-view; use interviews as your focus group, but be sure to include some form of quantitative analysis, no matter how limited or simple this might appear -- you are working on a technological subject

Find a few important generalizations and exhaustively prove them; show the inter-relationships between the other dynamics, but have a single major topic

If you truly want to merge theory and policy to address practical problems then you will need 2-3 pages on theory, 2-3 pages on policy, and then specific ways to address practical problems that have been previously identified within your thesis and approach to the problem

Frameworks are VERY helpful, but ask yourself who your audience is, how that audience is impacted by your prose, and above all, hard as it may be, ask the big question 'so what' and then work backwards.