In this paper, the main aspects of the already done dissertation will be discussed. First, the introduction of the title and the main points will be offered. Then, the evaluation of major project definitions, including the cope, context, hypothesis, and goals, will allow creating a general understanding of the dissertation under discussion. Such steps as the development of a literature review, strategic framework, and research methods will be taken to explain what findings and conclusions should be made on the topic. Finally, the examination of the limitations, further recommendations, and the comparison of planned goals and achieved results will be given to summarize the overall project and its worth for the engineering field.
Dissertation Introduction
This dissertation focuses on understanding if the adoption of the Integrated Review approach can strengthen security in Qatar using the United Kingdom example. There are many reasons for choosing these countries for analysis. First, despite global changes and the pandemic challenges, the UK remains a regular player in most international organizations like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the World Bank. Qatar is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Many political, security, and strategic planning changes have emerged during the last several changes in the UK and Qatar, and technological innovations are highly promoted in both countries. The Integrated Review is one of the national policy documents to describe and analyze the country’s geopolitical, technological, economic, and transnational challenges. Qatar has similar characteristics in most areas, and adopting this approach could affect Qatari security and safety at the international level.
Project Definition: Main Idea
The main idea of the dissertation is that the Integrated Review has multiple similar characteristics as other critical policy papers do. For example, the authors underline the outcomes of the participation of the country in global competitions. Military advancement and technological progress also support the positive image of the nation. Finally, attention to the conditions that contribute to high-level diplomacy is paid. At the same time, the adaptation of the review might be challenged by such unpredictable factors as COVID-19 and other international conflicts. The decision of the UK leaders to withdraw from the European Union provoked many ambiguous discussions. However, in most cases, the major goal of the country is to improve the citizens’ welfare, enhance security, and promote support.
Project Definition: Context
There are three aspects to the current dissertation projects: how political transformations will be introduced, the levels of evaluation, and the expected outcomes. The UK Integrated Review has to be properly studied, additionally researched (journal articles, newspapers, and books), and evaluated (special research analysis methods). Four levels should be taken into consideration, namely social (people), state (the country), political (conditions), and international (threats). Within the offered context, four areas will be examined: the promotion of new world order, support of Euro-Atlantic security, the discussion of the positions in the Indo-Pacific region, and the recognition of threats from other countries.
Project Definition: Hypothesis
Any research project should include a clear thesis statement or a hypothesis to be discussed and proved with the help of available evidence or observations. In this dissertation, the hypothesis addresses the internal changes that occurred in the UK and might occur in Qatar. It is expected to find out if it is possible to achieve the most effective outcomes after adapting transformations and examining current challenges within the frames of the Integrated Review.
Project Definition: Scope
Identifying the project scope is an integral part of this research to introduce the boundaries and create a solid background for aims and objectives. In this case, the decision to examine the integrated nature of the review is made. The expectations touch upon the evaluation of such integration in different areas, including foreign policy, security issues, defense possibilities, self-power of the UK, and economic developments. In modern society, the role of technology cannot be ignored; thus, this dissertation also focuses on the benefits and challenges of technological innovation and modernization for the country’s security. Finally, a holistic analysis is preferred not to recognize individual aspects of national safety but to present a universal image of the UK after Brexit and COVID-19 and its impact on Qatari development.
Aims & Objectives
The major aim of the current project is to determine the overall effectiveness of the UK Integrated Review approach in Qatar. To achieve this goal, several additional objectives should be defined to clarify the order of steps to be taken in the study. First, the analysis of the content of the Review is required. Second, the main principles of the document are clearly stated and explained to the reader. Third, the assessment of available literature on the same topic is offered. The next objective is to identify the impact of the chosen paper on foreign policy in the UK and Qatar. Strategic planning also depends on the Review, and qualitative research should be an effective method to gather and implement different opinions to the current discussion.
Literature Review
The literature review was a significant part of the dissertation as this kind of work allowed covering the main topics and finding what has already been studied and what gaps could challenge further projects. Several sections in the review explain why global changes affected the UK and provoked the necessity of new integrated approaches that could strengthen the nation. First, the definitions and explanations of defense and security issues. Then, the evaluation of foreign politics was done to explain the quality of relationships between the UK, Qatar, and other international partners. Finally, some facts about the economic situation and the impact of modernization were mentioned to prove the chosen scope.
Strategic Framework
The strategic framework cannot be ignored in the analysis of this Integrated Review. This approach brings a number of benefits to the country and its sustainable development. This framework covers the usage aspects in scientific and technological fields and underlines the necessity to continue investing in the chosen areas. Being properly implemented, strategic planning leads to advancement at different levels. Finally, the growth of cyberspace capabilities is important for supporting and defining new defensive opportunities for the country compared to other international competitors.
Approach
- What: a qualitative research method with a survey questionnaire and a literature review.
- Who: a research group chosen for the dissertation.
- Where: five senior officials from the Qatari government.
- When: after the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.
- How: a simple response system for participants to answer the researchers’ questions.
- Why: to uncover the insights of the Integrated Review.
The choice of the methodological approach to fulfilling the goals plays an important role in the current study. A qualitative research method on the basis of a questionnaire and a survey was organized by a research group to attract the senior officials from Qatar and analyze the UK reports within the literature review. The period after the pandemic and Brexit is characterized by multiple changes and necessary transformations. Therefore, a simple response system will be offered to the participants to gather their opinions about the Integrated Review and describe the major insights of the policy paper.
Approach: Goals and Methods
- To analyze the contents of the Integrated Review and provide an overview of the main principles and ideas presented (literature review).
- To evaluate and analyze the information contained within the report in light of the critiques and assessments (literature review).
- To determine to what extent this review addresses Britain’s domestic and foreign policy challenges, and the impact it’s integrated nature will have on outcomes (literature review; survey).
- To speculate on the usefulness of this model in developing strategic frameworks and whether or not it could be successfully applied by other nations (survey; generalization of the results).
- To conduct qualitative research study consisting of a survey presented to senior Qatari officials developed based on the Literature Review in order to strengthen our determination regarding adoption of an Integrated Approach to defence review (survey).
There were five objectives to be achieved while writing the current dissertation project, and two methods were used to gather the necessary information. The first and second goals were achieved by conducting a literature review and examining relevant and credible sources online. The third goal depended on combining the literature results and survey questionnaires. The participants’ answers to survey questions and the generalization of the results were important for completing the fourth goal of the study. Finally, the survey and communication with Qatari officials were effective in accomplishing the fifth objective.
Questionnaire & Survey
There were five questions offered to five senior officials in the armed forces or the department of defense. Three options of answers were offered, with the possibility to add some comments. On the one hand, the answers could be defined as restrictive and narrow because of the necessity to give some general judgments about the situation. On the other hand, the “Comment” section was effective for adding personal opinions and information to cover the topic and explain the conditions under which the Qatari government had to work and possibly implement the UK Integrated Review Approach.
Findings
Communication with the senior officials and the review of current literature about the UK integrated approach revealed several critical moments in Qatar’s defense and security development. The country could benefit from adopting the UK approach and using the Integrated Review to strengthen its defense and security positions. The UK is a country with similar characteristics and international positions; thus, similar insights were defined and proved as supportive. Following the same approach and integration would bring Qatar positive changes in the economic sphere, technological advancement, and strategic planning. Military activities chosen by the Qatari government have already demonstrated positive outcomes, and the task is to continue research and learn all benefits and shortages of such integration.
Limitations and Further Research Opportunities
Despite the number of efforts and time spent on the current study, certain limitations and shortcomings cannot be ignored. The most evident challenge is a small sample size because five officials were ready to answer only five questions in a short period due to their business and high-level responsibilities. As a result, limited data were collected, and not many factors affecting the country’s security were covered. Besides, using Qatar as the only country for analysis explains geographical restrictions and problems with generalizing information. In the future, several improvements could be offered to increase the number of participants and use more questions to extend the preferred insights. New research methods like interviews or systematic reviews would be effective in covering new topics, including applying a strategic framework.
Expectations and Achievements
Comparing the expectations defined at the beginning of the project and the current achievements, the main aim and all objectives were successfully achieved. The overall effectiveness of the Integrated Review was properly discussed in the UK and Qatari contexts. The analysis of the white paper content was organized, and relevant information from credible sources was given. The examination of domestic and foreign policies showed that the UK and Qatari had much in common regarding their modernization issues, defense and security goals, and technological advancement. The essence of the strategic framework was explained and proved useful in the UK and Qatar. All participants shared their common positive attitude toward adopting the UK Integrated Review approach to their local policies.
Summary
In general, this paper demonstrates major achievements in the chosen field and the theme of the UK Integrated Review approach to be implemented for strengthening security and defense in Qatar. The main project definitions are related to the UK and Qatari contexts, their political, technological, and economic achievements, and required changes. The goal to determine the overall effectiveness of the offered approach was achieved by applying the results from the literature review and a survey questionnaire with five senior Qatari officials. It was found that Qatar was ready to adopt the Integrated Review approach, but additional research and the choice of new methods would be necessary for the future.