Karen Grattan | George Mason University (original) (raw)
Papers by Karen Grattan
Journal of Urban Health
In Indore, India, BHC engaged 247 multi-sector stakeholders through a systems mapping approach to... more In Indore, India, BHC engaged 247 multi-sector stakeholders through a systems mapping approach to gather qualitative data across three workshops and four citizen town halls from 2018 to 2020. These data were synthesized with results from BHC’s 18 other city activities to build a systems map and identify high-impact areas for engagement. Contextual findings showed a tension at the heart of Indore’s growth—Indore’s great success as a city has spurred rapid population growth. This growth creates pressure on municipal systems as population outpaces service delivery capacity. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall within four main domains: (1) leadership, governance, and financing; (2) essential service delivery and workforce; (3) information systems; and (4) community infrastructure and education. Stakeholders found three key leverage opportunities within this context that, if included in every action, could help ...
Journal of Urban Health
Rapidly growing cities face new and compounding health challenges, leading governments and donors... more Rapidly growing cities face new and compounding health challenges, leading governments and donors to seek innovative ways to support healthier, more resilient urban growth. One such approach is the systems mapping process developed by Engaging Inquiry (EI) for the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities project (BHC) in four cities in Asia. This paper provides details on the theory and methods of the process. While systems mapping is not new, the approach detailed in this paper has been uniquely adapted to the purpose of municipal planning. Strategic stakeholder engagement, including participatory workshops with a diverse group of stakeholders, is at the core of this approach and led to deeper insights, greater buy-in, and shared understanding of the city’s unique opportunities and challenges. This innovative mapping process is a powerful tool for defining municipal priorities within growing cities across the globe, where the situation is rapidly evolving. It can be used to provide evi...
Journal of Urban Health
In Makassar, Indonesia, the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project engaged 240 multi-... more In Makassar, Indonesia, the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project engaged 240 multi-sector stakeholders to gather qualitative data across three workshops and two citizen town halls from 2019 to 2021. These data were synthesized with results from BHC’s nine other Makassar activities to build maps of the current system and identify high-impact areas for engagement. Contextual findings showed that Makassar leadership has actively innovated and used new technology to improve the city, resulting in improved connectivity and responsiveness. However, this drive toward innovation has strained existing infrastructure and workforce capacity. When this strain fails to meet promised results, citizens are less likely to engage and support the innovations. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed, and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall within four main areas: (1) leadership, governance, and financing; (2) infrastructure and workforce; (3) collaboratio...
The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology, 2016
The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. M... more The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. Marine Corps to demonstrate analytic methods better suited to irregular warfare than quantitative computer models and simulations. Multiple methods were used in combination to create and develop scenarios, understand conflict drivers and mitigators, and create potential U.S. responses. This article discusses the use of these methods, which included approaches such as general morphological analysis, wargaming, adaptations of conflict assessment frameworks, and others. This article also describes the larger context for the study within the wider defense analytic community.
The public reportmg burd en for th1s collection of mform ation is estimated to average 1 hour per... more The public reportmg burd en for th1s collection of mform ation is estimated to average 1 hour per response. includmg the tim e for rev>ewing instruct>ons. searclhing exi sting data so urces. gathering and mmnta1mng the data needed. and co mpleting and rev1ew 1 ng the collection of 1nforma t1 on. Send co mments regarding th1s burden est1m ate or any other aspect o fth1s collection of mformat1on. 1nclud1 ng suggesti ons for reduc1 ng the burden. to the Department of De fense. ExecutiV e Serv1ce D>rectorate (0704-0 188) Respo ndents should be aware that notwithstanding any other prov1 s1 on of law. no person shall be sub;ect to any penalty for falling to comply w1th a collect> on of 1 nform at1on if 1 t does not display a currently v alid OMB co ntrol number Recent Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have spurred the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to more formally come to terms with the need to consider and take into account the local context within which its operations are undertaken. The Marine Corps has focused on articulating the concept of Operational Culture and incorporating it into the planning and execution of operations. The objectives of the Analytical Tools for the Application of Operational Culture: A Case Study in the Trans-Sahel Study, were to describe, evaluate, and improve the way the Marine Corps integrates Operational Culture into the planning of missions and operations. The intent was to develop and apply an Integrating Framework to help Marines distill relevant cultural knowledge and effectively map it to the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) for missions and operations. The study was sponsored by the Center for Advanced Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL) and chartered to "employ conceptual models and analytical frameworks grounded in social science and military environments to develop and apply a tool that can enhance the ability of Marines to integrate relevant Operational Culture into mission and operations planning." 1S. SUBJECT TERMS Trans-Sahel; Advanced Operational culture Learning(CAOCL); Analytical Tools; Marine Corps Planning Process 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF a.
Prism, Apr 1, 2014
W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most ... more W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most do agree on; Syria is complex. It is complex in the familiar use of that term: complicated, intricate, and hard to understand. But it is also complex in the technical sense: an interrelated system of diverse components that interact with each other and their environment in ways that are dynamic and difficult to predict. This distinction and understanding the distinction are critical to the success of policy makers trying to grapple with Syria. As a whole, Syria along with the broadening regional conflict is a wicked problem for policy makers; 2 presenting challenges similar to those that have frustrated efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), among others. These complexity related challenges include: the regularity of unintended negative consequences; situations where one party's solution is another party's problem; "fixes" that work in the short term but fail in the medium term; tactics that are successful in one place but are difficult to replicate; "zombie problems" that do not stay fixed; problems that resist a definitive definition; and the reality that new urgent issues constantly outstrip the amount of resources available to address them. Most importantly, and deeply characteristic of the wicked problem, is the requirement for continuous and adaptive learning, as the "problem" is more deeply understood with every effort to develop or enact its solution. Success in Syria means that in addition to the content of any individual policy, plan, or decision, policy makers need to change the process by which they engage with Syria and produce a series of decisions over time. The purpose of this article is not to advocate specific policy options. Rather, this piece will highlight four key practices that policy makers can use to maximize their ■ ■ Attitudinal dimension: widely held beliefs and norms as well as intergroup relations that affect the level of cooperation
Journal of Urban Health
The USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) work in Da Nang, Vietnam, engaged 108 multi-sector... more The USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) work in Da Nang, Vietnam, engaged 108 multi-sector stakeholders to gather qualitative data across two workshops and three citizen town halls from 2019 to 2021. These data were synthesized with the results from BHC’s seven other activities in Da Nang to build systems maps. Contextual findings showed that multi-sector, multi-level participation and collaboration have been the key to moving the city toward their smart and livable city goals. Currently, citizen, nongovernmental organization, and private sector collaboration are low for many government sectors, which results in policy and programs that are mismatched to actual needs and therefore have less powerful impacts. When these policies and programs are implemented, they struggle to demonstrate strong benefits to these stakeholder groups, further decreasing participation. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed, and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall ...
The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. M... more The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. Marine Corps to demonstrate analytic methods better suited to irregular warfare than quantitative computer models and simulations. Multiple methods were used in combination to create and develop scenarios, understand conflict drivers and mitigators, and create potential U.S. responses. This article discusses the use of these methods, which included approaches such as general morphological analysis, wargaming, adaptations of conflict assessment frameworks, and others. This article also describes the larger context for the study within the wider defense analytic community.
W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most ... more W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most do agree on; Syria is complex. It is complex in the familiar use of that term: complicated, intricate, and hard to understand. But it is also complex in the technical sense: an interrelated system of diverse components that interact with each other and their environment in ways that are dynamic and difficult to predict.
In Global Conflict Resolution Through Positioning Analysis, 2008
For several weeks in early 2006 Americans were transfixed at the emotional family feuding, legal ... more For several weeks in early 2006 Americans were transfixed at the emotional family feuding, legal acrobatics and public spectacle that surrounded the fate of Terri Schiavo. News of Terri Schiavo and her would-be rescuers from both sides filled our lives in every medium; print, radio and television. As we listened and watched, we saw clearly the two distinct and seemingly
Rehabilitation Psychology, 2006
Objective: The goal of this investigation was to pilot the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) among... more Objective: The goal of this investigation was to pilot the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers, assessing its screen–metric approach. Design and Participants: Using the NPI, caregivers rated neurobehavioral disturbances in 51 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI. The NPI was completed 1 or 2 years after the individuals were injured. Results: Caregivers reported the
Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition, 2005
Journal of Urban Health
In Indore, India, BHC engaged 247 multi-sector stakeholders through a systems mapping approach to... more In Indore, India, BHC engaged 247 multi-sector stakeholders through a systems mapping approach to gather qualitative data across three workshops and four citizen town halls from 2018 to 2020. These data were synthesized with results from BHC’s 18 other city activities to build a systems map and identify high-impact areas for engagement. Contextual findings showed a tension at the heart of Indore’s growth—Indore’s great success as a city has spurred rapid population growth. This growth creates pressure on municipal systems as population outpaces service delivery capacity. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall within four main domains: (1) leadership, governance, and financing; (2) essential service delivery and workforce; (3) information systems; and (4) community infrastructure and education. Stakeholders found three key leverage opportunities within this context that, if included in every action, could help ...
Journal of Urban Health
Rapidly growing cities face new and compounding health challenges, leading governments and donors... more Rapidly growing cities face new and compounding health challenges, leading governments and donors to seek innovative ways to support healthier, more resilient urban growth. One such approach is the systems mapping process developed by Engaging Inquiry (EI) for the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities project (BHC) in four cities in Asia. This paper provides details on the theory and methods of the process. While systems mapping is not new, the approach detailed in this paper has been uniquely adapted to the purpose of municipal planning. Strategic stakeholder engagement, including participatory workshops with a diverse group of stakeholders, is at the core of this approach and led to deeper insights, greater buy-in, and shared understanding of the city’s unique opportunities and challenges. This innovative mapping process is a powerful tool for defining municipal priorities within growing cities across the globe, where the situation is rapidly evolving. It can be used to provide evi...
Journal of Urban Health
In Makassar, Indonesia, the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project engaged 240 multi-... more In Makassar, Indonesia, the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project engaged 240 multi-sector stakeholders to gather qualitative data across three workshops and two citizen town halls from 2019 to 2021. These data were synthesized with results from BHC’s nine other Makassar activities to build maps of the current system and identify high-impact areas for engagement. Contextual findings showed that Makassar leadership has actively innovated and used new technology to improve the city, resulting in improved connectivity and responsiveness. However, this drive toward innovation has strained existing infrastructure and workforce capacity. When this strain fails to meet promised results, citizens are less likely to engage and support the innovations. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed, and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall within four main areas: (1) leadership, governance, and financing; (2) infrastructure and workforce; (3) collaboratio...
The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology, 2016
The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. M... more The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. Marine Corps to demonstrate analytic methods better suited to irregular warfare than quantitative computer models and simulations. Multiple methods were used in combination to create and develop scenarios, understand conflict drivers and mitigators, and create potential U.S. responses. This article discusses the use of these methods, which included approaches such as general morphological analysis, wargaming, adaptations of conflict assessment frameworks, and others. This article also describes the larger context for the study within the wider defense analytic community.
The public reportmg burd en for th1s collection of mform ation is estimated to average 1 hour per... more The public reportmg burd en for th1s collection of mform ation is estimated to average 1 hour per response. includmg the tim e for rev>ewing instruct>ons. searclhing exi sting data so urces. gathering and mmnta1mng the data needed. and co mpleting and rev1ew 1 ng the collection of 1nforma t1 on. Send co mments regarding th1s burden est1m ate or any other aspect o fth1s collection of mformat1on. 1nclud1 ng suggesti ons for reduc1 ng the burden. to the Department of De fense. ExecutiV e Serv1ce D>rectorate (0704-0 188) Respo ndents should be aware that notwithstanding any other prov1 s1 on of law. no person shall be sub;ect to any penalty for falling to comply w1th a collect> on of 1 nform at1on if 1 t does not display a currently v alid OMB co ntrol number Recent Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have spurred the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to more formally come to terms with the need to consider and take into account the local context within which its operations are undertaken. The Marine Corps has focused on articulating the concept of Operational Culture and incorporating it into the planning and execution of operations. The objectives of the Analytical Tools for the Application of Operational Culture: A Case Study in the Trans-Sahel Study, were to describe, evaluate, and improve the way the Marine Corps integrates Operational Culture into the planning of missions and operations. The intent was to develop and apply an Integrating Framework to help Marines distill relevant cultural knowledge and effectively map it to the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) for missions and operations. The study was sponsored by the Center for Advanced Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL) and chartered to "employ conceptual models and analytical frameworks grounded in social science and military environments to develop and apply a tool that can enhance the ability of Marines to integrate relevant Operational Culture into mission and operations planning." 1S. SUBJECT TERMS Trans-Sahel; Advanced Operational culture Learning(CAOCL); Analytical Tools; Marine Corps Planning Process 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF a.
Prism, Apr 1, 2014
W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most ... more W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most do agree on; Syria is complex. It is complex in the familiar use of that term: complicated, intricate, and hard to understand. But it is also complex in the technical sense: an interrelated system of diverse components that interact with each other and their environment in ways that are dynamic and difficult to predict. This distinction and understanding the distinction are critical to the success of policy makers trying to grapple with Syria. As a whole, Syria along with the broadening regional conflict is a wicked problem for policy makers; 2 presenting challenges similar to those that have frustrated efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), among others. These complexity related challenges include: the regularity of unintended negative consequences; situations where one party's solution is another party's problem; "fixes" that work in the short term but fail in the medium term; tactics that are successful in one place but are difficult to replicate; "zombie problems" that do not stay fixed; problems that resist a definitive definition; and the reality that new urgent issues constantly outstrip the amount of resources available to address them. Most importantly, and deeply characteristic of the wicked problem, is the requirement for continuous and adaptive learning, as the "problem" is more deeply understood with every effort to develop or enact its solution. Success in Syria means that in addition to the content of any individual policy, plan, or decision, policy makers need to change the process by which they engage with Syria and produce a series of decisions over time. The purpose of this article is not to advocate specific policy options. Rather, this piece will highlight four key practices that policy makers can use to maximize their ■ ■ Attitudinal dimension: widely held beliefs and norms as well as intergroup relations that affect the level of cooperation
Journal of Urban Health
The USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) work in Da Nang, Vietnam, engaged 108 multi-sector... more The USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) work in Da Nang, Vietnam, engaged 108 multi-sector stakeholders to gather qualitative data across two workshops and three citizen town halls from 2019 to 2021. These data were synthesized with the results from BHC’s seven other activities in Da Nang to build systems maps. Contextual findings showed that multi-sector, multi-level participation and collaboration have been the key to moving the city toward their smart and livable city goals. Currently, citizen, nongovernmental organization, and private sector collaboration are low for many government sectors, which results in policy and programs that are mismatched to actual needs and therefore have less powerful impacts. When these policies and programs are implemented, they struggle to demonstrate strong benefits to these stakeholder groups, further decreasing participation. This is central to the systems map that BHC developed, and is expanded upon through additional patterns that fall ...
The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. M... more The Joint Irregular Warfare Analytic Baseline (JIWAB) study was a multi-year effort by the U.S. Marine Corps to demonstrate analytic methods better suited to irregular warfare than quantitative computer models and simulations. Multiple methods were used in combination to create and develop scenarios, understand conflict drivers and mitigators, and create potential U.S. responses. This article discusses the use of these methods, which included approaches such as general morphological analysis, wargaming, adaptations of conflict assessment frameworks, and others. This article also describes the larger context for the study within the wider defense analytic community.
W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most ... more W hile there is not much consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most do agree on; Syria is complex. It is complex in the familiar use of that term: complicated, intricate, and hard to understand. But it is also complex in the technical sense: an interrelated system of diverse components that interact with each other and their environment in ways that are dynamic and difficult to predict.
In Global Conflict Resolution Through Positioning Analysis, 2008
For several weeks in early 2006 Americans were transfixed at the emotional family feuding, legal ... more For several weeks in early 2006 Americans were transfixed at the emotional family feuding, legal acrobatics and public spectacle that surrounded the fate of Terri Schiavo. News of Terri Schiavo and her would-be rescuers from both sides filled our lives in every medium; print, radio and television. As we listened and watched, we saw clearly the two distinct and seemingly
Rehabilitation Psychology, 2006
Objective: The goal of this investigation was to pilot the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) among... more Objective: The goal of this investigation was to pilot the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers, assessing its screen–metric approach. Design and Participants: Using the NPI, caregivers rated neurobehavioral disturbances in 51 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI. The NPI was completed 1 or 2 years after the individuals were injured. Results: Caregivers reported the
Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition, 2005