All Pardee RAND students complete a policy-relevant dissertation aimed at tackling the most pressing policy issues facing the world. Many Pardee RAND dissertations are partially- or fully-funded through endowed dissertation awards and other prizes.
Dissertations by Date
2013
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Fundamental Capability Portfolio Management: A Study of Developing Systems with Implications for Army Research and Development Strategy February 18, 2013
Examines the United States Army's use of capability portfolio management in acquisitions.
2012
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Expanding the Use of Time/Frequency Difference of Arrival Geolocation in the Department of Defense November 12, 2012
Explores an area in which the Department of Defense can operate "smarter" with its proliferating unmanned aircraft systems fleet.
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Evaluating Cadet Leadership Positions at the U.S. Air Force Academy November 12, 2012
Aims to assist the U.S. Air Force Academy in assessing the value of admission criteria, awarding leadership positions, and designing leadership position experiences.
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Occupational Burnout and Retention of Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Intelligence Personnel October 30, 2012
Explores occupational burnout and retention of Air Force intelligence analysts working in the Distributed Common Ground System.
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Three Essays on the Labor Supply, Savings and Investment Behavior of Older Workers October 18, 2012
Provides three distinct analyses addressing labor supply, saving and investment behavior of older workers, in the context of the incentives and constraints they face due to employer and government policies.
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What's on the Menu? Evaluating the Food Environment in Restaurants October 18, 2012
Aims to broaden understanding of the role of restaurants in the current food environment.
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Sustaining the US Air Force's Force Support Career Field through Officer Workforce Planning September 5, 2012
Recommends changes that can be made to the structure and management of the Air Force's Force Support officer career field to better align development of functional competencies with positional demand for those competencies.
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International Labor Flows: Migration Views from the Migrant, the Receiving-Country Economy, and the Sending-Country Family August 14, 2012
This dissertation covers three topics -- three points of view -- of issues in international migration.
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Understanding and Engaging the Muslims of the Southern Philippines August 10, 2012
Explores and compares how members of the US military, Philippine military and police, and populace of Mindanao understand Islamic beliefs and values.
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Dynamics and Determinants of Family Transfers: The Mexican Case August 9, 2012
Studies the interactions in Mexico between policies and the increased involvement of children in their parent's income security and well being.
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Saving for the Future: Trends, Patterns and Decision-Making Processes Among Young Americans August 9, 2012
Explores financial decision-making and outcomes among young adults in the United States in order to inform policies that promote saving and financial security.
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Food Security, Livelihoods, and Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV: Evidence for Policy in Resource-Limited Settings August 3, 2012
Provides evidence that food assistance, livelihood interventions, and antiretroviral therapy all have a role to play in improving the economic and nutritional well-being of people living with HIV in developing countries.
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Mileage-Based User Fee Winners and Losers: An Analysis of the Distributional Implications of Taxing Vehicle Miles Traveled, with Projections, 2010-2030 April 26, 2012
Estimates changes in annual vehicle miles traveled in response to changes in the cost of driving that would result from adopting a mileage-based user fee.
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Old-Age Disability in China: Implications for Long-Term Care Policies in the Coming Decades April 12, 2012
Addresses long-term care issues facing the elderly in China.
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Planning for an Aging Nation: New Estimates to Inform Policy Analysis for Senior Health April 12, 2012
Provides insights into the costs and challenges of providing health care to the elderly population.
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Reconsidering California Transport Policies: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in an Uncertain Future January 20, 2012
Applies robust decision methods to evaluate California's transportation policies that considers multiple views of the future, and identifies strategies that consistently reduce emissions at acceptable costs regardless of future conditions.
2011
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Forecasting the Future of Iran: Implications for U.S. Strategy and Policy November 16, 2011
Employs an expected utility model to predict how Iranian policy is developing on several key issues and explores US strategy and policy options for influencing their development.
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Actualizing Flexible National Security Space Systems November 15, 2011
Three essays that address some of the challenges associated with improving the flexibility of National Security Space capabilities.
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Three Essays on Terrorism, its Relationship with Natural Disasters and its Effect on Female Labor Force Participation November 15, 2011
Explores the relationship between natural disasters and terrorism and investigates and clarifies causal links between terrorism, female labor force participation, and larger gender disparities in the labor market.
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Developing Stability: Community-Driven Development and Reconstruction in Conflict-Affected Settings November 4, 2011
Tests the hypothesis that development and reconstruction actors can feasibly implement sound development and reconstruction across a relatively wide spectrum of conflict, but varying levels and natures of violence can affect its delivery.
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Three Essays on Economics of Health Behavior in China November 4, 2011
Three essays each focusing on one topic in economics of health behaviors in China.
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Diabetes Care in China: Impacts of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and Insurance on Quality and Utilization November 3, 2011
Explores quality and utilization of diabetes care in China.
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Where in Social and Sexual Networks Should HIV Interventions Target? Identifying Similarities in Social Contexts Characteristics and Mutual Disclosure Behaviors of HIV Status and MSM Identity Across Social and Sexual Networks November 3, 2011
Attempts to understand where similarities in social context characteristics and disclosure behaviors lie in respondents' various sexual and social networks leading to important implications for developing new and innovative HIV interventions.
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Agency, Governance, and Performance in the Securities Industry October 6, 2011
Examines the economics of financial firms, their governance practices, and governance-performance links.
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Paying for War: Funding U.S. Military Operations Since 2001 September 29, 2011
Analyzes the outcomes from using separate budgets for military operations.