Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Volume 2012 Issue 1

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Kinship, the cross-cultural subject of this project-based paper, is dynamic in Qatari life and has specialized conceptual/ methodological tools. Within it, 'incest taboo' ("tahrim" in Arabic), a human universal, generated numerous explanations: 'horror instinct', 'genetic degeneration', 'natural sexual desire among close kin', 'natural sexual aversion to close kin', and 'prevents in-marrying to create exchange and alliance'. Studying kinship, through systematic field research was made possible by two Undergraduate Research Experience Program Grants (6th and 9th cycles), generated data challenging these views. The data show Qatari culture providing solutions to societal paradoxes, whereby non-fertile women desiring children cannot simply 'adopt' them, they instead use distinctively Qatari kinship transformational mechanisms - suckling practices. This is demonstrated by live cases, revealing formal and practical features characterizing Qatari culture, with implications for theory and Qatar's future vision. METHODS: To understand human phenomena and sociocultural life, social science methodology combines multiple data collection techniques. This project used qualitative methods in a process of inquiry seeking in-depth information situating behavior in social/cultural setting, using various procedures: observation (participant/non-participant), interviewing (structured/open-ended), visual methods (still/moving pictures). To elicit kin terms of consanguinity, affinity and suckling, the team used open-ended interviews, chart-elicitation questionnaires, discussed in weekly educational seminars. Seventy consanguineal kinship charts, sixty-five affinal kin charts were used as elicitation 'models', whereas gathering suckling data was by in-depth interviews - 36 primary cases with derivative sub-cases. RESULTS: This project generated original data and theoretical insights. It improved learning outcomes in sociology by mentored junior colleagues, and led to Qatarization, training a QU female sociology student, subsequently admitted (as a first in Qatar) into a doctorate program in the US for sociological methods. CONCLUSIONS: * Suckling is kinship, like consanguinity and affinity, religiously sanctioned, socially approved mechanism for kin incorporation * Adoption does not legitimately turn strangers into kin * Suckling creates incest taboo, removing the need for avoidance ritual and behavior. * Suckling has transformational qualities, restructuring kinship. * Incest taboo and alliance theories are challenged * Presumed cousin marriages may not be biological

Recent projections for energy production on the American continent (from Canada to South America) are suggesting potential energy independence for the western hemisphere in the next fifteen years. The very large, newly found, oil reserves (mainly off the coast of Brazil), the technological progresses (allowing for the safe exploitation of tar sands in Canada) and the natural gas potential of shale gas in North America are changing the energy equation on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. What has been historically the Gulf region's main customer of hydrocarbon is likely to significantly decrease its import in the near future. Although other emerging regions (India, China, Africa) should make up for this loss in the short term, the global efforts to mitigate climate change are bound to encourage natural gas consumption over oil. GCC countries will thus face a strong challenge to diversify their customer networks and adapt their energy mix production - drifting away from oil towards natural gas and renewables. Each of the GCC countries will face different challenges, depending on their resource endowment and infrastructure network. This research aims at analyzing the potential domestic impact of this new scarcity of demand. Each country in the Gulf region has developed a unique set of domestic institutions and economic structures whose resilience will be challenged. This research implements comparative politics, theories and lenses, especially Thomas G. Moore's framework of analysis assessing the state's capacity to absorb external shocks and issue national responses for economic adjustment. It also reverses the argument developed by Ikenberry on European and American countries comparative economic responses to the oil shock in the 1970s. The objective of this study is to inform Gulf countries' governments of the best original set of proactive policies and reforms that need to be adopted to ensure sustainable development, social progress, political stability and post-oil economic transition.

This paper is about finding common values among what appear to be different and competitive cultures. While recent international conflicts present a picture of a clash of civilizations rooted in past history and present differences, the historical evidence actually leads to other narratives. Social and cultural history in particular, allows for a reorganization of knowledge that allows for the diffusion of culture and the production of common traditions. Rather than accept a world divided by historical narratives that allow for exceptionalism and difference, the paper proposes a shift by which common histories based on process and diffusion of culture be attempted. It proceeds to do so at the level of legal history taking specific examples to illustrate the development of law from and to different parts of the world and different periods to bring about contemporary laws that seem to be in total variance one from the other. The intent is to illustrate that by sifting through sources and comparing specificities of history of various geographical regions and historical periods, pausing new questions and reconceptualizing human relations, that in fact we can move the agenda ahead to show where cultures meet and where they differ thereby allowing for greater and different discourses of understanding and affinity.

Background and Objectives: To examine the utilization of critical hospital resources: bed utilization, operating room activities, median length of stay (LOS) during the month of Ramadan at a major tertiary trauma center in the Middle East. Methods: Consecutive trauma admissions requiring major surgical operative interventions at the Rashid Hospital Trauma Center (RHTC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during the month of June in 2008 and September (Ramadan) in 2008 were reviewed. Data extracted from the hospital's theatre registry and medical records were analyzed. Resources utilization of all operative trauma cases admitted to the hospital were correlated with the overall injury status of the patients based on the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Revised Trauma Score (RTS). Results: There were 1647 surgical procedures performed in 939 trauma patients who underwent surgical interventions during the study period, showing no significant change in Operating Room volume activities. The data indicates an increase in length of stay per ISS in the month of Ramadan. Of more significance, the data demonstrates a 68 % increase in occupied beds days despite no significant increase in patient volume during the month of Ramadan in comparison with the month of June. Conclusions: During the month of Ramadan, there has been an increase in consumption of hospital resources in terms of bed stays in particular with minor and moderate injuries ISS 1-8, and 9-15. Trauma related surgical procedures were not statistically increased during the month of Ramadan. The RHTC median LOS by ISS is more than doubled than the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) during Ramadan, resulting in unnecessary consumption of valuable resources. Unnecessary hospital stay increases risk of further complications to patients, resulting in further delays in discharge.

أدى التقدم التكنولوجي السريع إلى التوسع في استخدام شبكة الانترنت بشكل غير مسبوق، وأصبح باستطاعة الفرد أينما كان الاستفادة من خدماتها المتعددة والمتنوعة. لقد أضحت الانترنت وسيلة الاتصال الأسرع انتشارا والأقوى تأثيرا في المجتمعات الحديثة، وأتاحت فرص الإطلاع على الأحداث والأخبار لحظة وقوعها وأصبح التعليق على الأفكار والمدونات والمشاركة في المنتديات أحداثا يومية وعادية. إن الاستخدام الواسع للانترنت له جوانب كثيرة إيجابية، ولكنه مثل كل شيء آخر يتضمن جوانب سلبية عديدة. تتناول هذه الدراسة واحدا من تلك الجوانب السلبية ممثلا في الاستخدام المفرط للانترنت الذي يعتبر شكلا من أشكال السلوك الإدماني، وتهدف الدراسة أيضا إلى كشف التأثيرات المتعددة لهذا السلوك سواء على العلاقات والتواصل الاجتماعي، أو على الصحة النفسية والجسدية للمستخدمين. من هذا المنطلق تأتي أهمية القيام بدراسة مسحية للتعرف بدقة أكبر على هذا السلوك، في محاولة للإجابة على مجموعة من التساؤلات الرئيسية تتعلق بحجم الوقت المخصص لاستخدام الانترنت ومجالات الاستخدام. وقد اعتمدت الدراسة على أسلوب المسح بالعينة لمجموعة من مستخدمي الانترنت بلغت 1063 مفردة شملت طلاب المدارس والجامعة وعامة الجمهور، بالإضافة إلى إجراء مقابلات معمقة مع عينة مستهدفة من المستخدمين الذين يستخدمون الانترنت بشكل مفرط. وهو ما سمح بالتوصل إلى مجموعة من النتائج التي تسلط الضوء على هذه الظاهرة في المجتمع القطري. من أهم تلك النتائج التعرف على الخصائص العامة لمستخدمي الانترنت من حيث النوع والعمر والجنسية ومستوى التعليم والوضعية المهنية، ثم معرفة النمط العام لاستخدام الانترنت من حيث حجم الوقت المخصص لها، وأكثر الأماكن والأوقات والوسائل المستعملة للتشبيك، والكشف عن مجموعة من مؤشرات "الإدمان" أو الاستخدام المفرط للانترنت، فضلا عن التعرف على بعض العوامل المساعدة على ذلك، وأخيرا توضيح التأثيرات الناتجة عن الإفراط باستخدام الانترنت سواء على التواصل والعلاقات الاجتماعية، أو على الصحة النفسية والجسدية للمستخدمين. وينبغي التنويه أن الدراسة لم تكتفي بالكشف عن مجموعة من الحقائق والمعارف النظرية المتعلقة بحجم انتشار السلوك وخصائص المستخدمين فحسب، بل سمحت أيضا بصياغة مجموعة من المقترحات والتوصيات التي تساعد الجهات المعنية مثل مركز التأهيل الاجتماعي على وضع برامج للوقاية والعلاج وإعادة التأهيل، هدفها مساعدة المستخدمين على التخلص من هذا النوع من السلوك الإدماني، وحماية المجتمع من بعض الآثار السلبية المرتبطة بإساءة استخدام التكنولوجيات الجديدة.

بحث تفعيل دور التعليم المهنيَ في قطر المقدمة يعرف العالم منذ عقود توجهًا جديدًا في مجال التَعليم التَقني ، حيث أصبحت الدَول و المنظمات ترصد إمكانيات ضخمة ، إيمانًا منها بأهميته في التقليل من ظاهرة البطالة واعتناءه بالعنصر البشري و تطوير قدراته ، إسهامًا في التنمية ،و توفيرًا لفرص النَجاح للجميع وتحقيق رؤية قطر 2030. الأهداف : 1)الاستثمار الأمثل للرأسمال البشري. 2)مساعدة الشباب على اختيار مستقبلها المهني ،وتقديم المعلومات عن مجالات الدراسة المهنية وعلاقتها بوظيفة المستقبل في ضوء خطة التنمية القطرية . 3)تفعيل دور المدارس وإشراكها في تأهيل البنية التحتية للتعليم المهني . 4)التقليل من نسبة البطالة من خلال ابراز الوظائف المهنية كحل حقيقي للأزمة، ومتنفس للأفراد. 5)المساهمة في القضاء على ظاهرة التسرب بين الطلاب الاكاديميين . منهج البحث : نعتمد المنهج الوصفي والمنهج التاريخي ، أما الابواب هي: التعليم بين الماضي والحاضر : تقديم فكرة مفصلة عن واقع التعليم المهني في قطر . كيف نطور التعليم المهني ؟: تقديم دراسة عن كيفية استثمار الموارد البشرية ،وتطوير قدراتها ، تثقيفها مهنيًا . تجربة رائدة :- تقديم صورة واقعية مبنية على الزيارات والاستبيانات في قطر . -تقديم حلول مبنية على تجارب رائدة . الدراسات المقارنة : دراسة العلاقات المتبادلة بين المتغيرات ، والبناء على النظريات الناجحة في البلدان المتقدمة . كل باب مقسَم الى فصلين النتائج : 1-تحقيق اقتصاد وطني متنوع المصادر ذو قدرة تنافسية عالية. 2-تحقيق التنمية القائمة على التقنية الحديثة في التعليم. 3-استثمار الرأسمال البشري , القائم على ثقافة الكفاءة والجودة. 4-القضاء على ظواهر التسرب المدرسي والبطالة . 5-نشر ثقافة التعليم المهني . التوصيات 1.توعية الشباب وأولياءهم والمدارس من خلال الدورات للمدارس. 2.تبصير الشباب بالتخصصات المهنية ، متطلباتها لتمكينهم من المواءمة مع قدراتهم . 3.تقديم الاستشارات الوظيفية وتأمين فرص العمل لخريجي المدارس الفنية . 4.تكثيف الحملات الاعلانية لرفع مستواه وتخريج العمالة الماهرة . 5.إيجاد حوافز للشباب لبناء نموذج قوي من التعليم المهني. 6.التركيز علي دور الفتيات في الأعمال المهنية . 7.تأمين فرص تدريب خارج وداخل قطر ،وزيادة الحوافز للانخراط في العمل المهني . 8.توفير الأمان المهني من خلال تفعيل دور المدارس ، واشراكها في عملية تأهيل بنية أساسية ، والتعاون مع المؤسسات لإظهار أهمية دور الفنيين . 9.تبني التوصيات من قبل الدولة تعتمد استراتيجيات التطوير المهني.

Over the past fifty years, the role of the chief financial officer has evolved from that of an accountant to that of strategist and business partner. This past decade has seen important research conducted into the evolving role of the CFO by organisations in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, South Africa,The Arab World and New Zealand, as well by the International Federation of Accountants. By 2007, the issue of whether the role of the CFO in South Africa had evolved (and, if so, how) had not yet been researched by the accounting profession. In late 2007, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants embarked on such a research project entitled "The CFO of the future". This paper is a process report for phase 1 of the research. The purpose of this process report is fourfold. Firstly, it provides the background to the research project. Secondly, the paper reflects on other important studies conducted into the changing role of the CFO. The paper then presents a new model of the different roles that a CFO could play in corporate South Africa so as to categorise the focus areas that CFOs could address now and in the future. Lastly, the paper explains how the model was used to prepare a questionnaire sent to CFOs of the Top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Limited based on market capitalisation. This questionnaire was sent on behalf on the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants as a research tool used to elicit the views of business leaders at the top of the corporate ladder. The process followed and response rate achieved are also reflected upon.

Background and Objectives: It is well established from the European and North American literature that migration has a great impact on the mental health of the migrant population. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are home to more than 13 million non-nationals, yet the mental health status and psychological well-being of this large population has rarely been investigated. The majority of migrants are blue collar or domestic workers coming from the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. There are isolated reports of psychosis and/or suicide among this 'at risk' population, but no reliable data are available. For this reason, we decided to conduct a systematic search of the literature to review the epidemiology and characteristics of the mental health issues of the migrant workers in the GCC countries. Methods: The literature search was conducted in both English and Arabic. The English search consisted of various words and combinations including migrant worker, domestic worker, mental health, Middle East, GCC countries and the six countries contributing the majority of the migrants to the GCC (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Indonesia). The search was conducted mainly in databases for academic journal articles such as PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo and Google Scholar. Also, for each of the six migrant countries of origin identified, a search through the country's own medical and psychiatric journals was performed. The Arabic search was carried out on ArabPsyNet.com using the aforementioned combinations in the English literature. Results: Our literature search revealed very little regarding the mental health of migrant workers in GCC countries. The available literature consisted mostly of theoretical presentations or isolated clinical reports. There was a suggestion of an increased rate of psychosis and suicidal attempts. Vey few systematic and/or quantitative studies have ever been published. We therefore present a series of brief clinical vignettes to illustrate the scope of the problem. Conclusion: The lack of available published data regarding the mental health status of migrant workers in the GCC countries is somewhat surprising. We discuss possible reasons for underreporting and present steps to be taken to address this important issue.

Background & Objectives: In 2001, Qatar began a comprehensive education reform (Education for a New Era) based on RAND's recommendations for building an educational system that would meet the country's changing needs. The reform introduced innovation into the country's education system, including a standards-based curriculum, professional development programmes for teachers and for leaders, and a new system for assessment. One aspect of the reform was the introduction of the National Professional Standards (NPS), which have had a significant impact on school leaders' roles. As a recent two-year study conducted by the RAND Corporation in 2007 states, despite the many positive effects of the reform, more change is needed to support schools and teachers. School leaders are currently facing challenges in their role of leading and managing the school community. The school model in Qatar, post-reform, has increased both autonomy and accountability for leaders. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of school leaders in Qatar. The prime reason underlying the focus on leaders' perceptions is that leaders are at the heart of any educational change. Methods: This study follows a qualitative method using initial interviews, observation and in-depth interviews in four primary schools in Qatar. The participants are the senior managers in each school. Preliminary Results: School leaders believed that working in a school under the reform was better than the rigid approach they had experienced in Ministry of Education schools. They expressed the view that while the NPS offered advantages, it nevertheless lacked clarity and left them to rely on their own skills when it came to implementation. More importantly, there were few guidelines from the SEC to implement the NPS more effectively. It was also discovered that how leaders perceived the change affected its implementation. These perceptions ranged from total awareness to lack of sufficient knowledge of the new policy. The school leaders exhibited a very positive opinion towards the reform. However, some of the leaders expressed a need for more training on how to lead their team better.

Background and Objectives: Bariatric surgery has proved to be a powerful technique that not only induces drastic and long-lasting weight loss but, also resolves type 2 diabetes and potentially reverses diabetes-related diseases in morbidly obese patients. Extraordinarily, the remission of type 2 diabetes occurs long before any significant weight loss. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying the astonishing impact of bariatric surgery on glucose homeostasis are, however, poorly understood. Our objective is to use mathematical modeling to try to better understand the mechanisms behind type 2 diabetes remission after bariatric surgery. Methods: A general mathematical method is proposed for estimating the biochemical response to pharmaceuticals, surgeries, or other medical interventions. This method is then applied in an extremely simple model of the response to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and related procedures. Results and Conclusions: There are clearly multiple and quite complex effects of bariatric surgeries. The results of our model confirm that the remission of type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery can be largely explained by the enhanced post-meal excretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin that increases insulin secretion and has been shown to increase proliferation and decrease apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells, but it also suggests that other mechanisms are likely to be involved, possibly including an additional insulin-independent pathway for glucose transport into cells.