News and Events

Seminar

A Unified Effectiveness Framework (UEF) toward strengthening the theory & practice of coral reef governance

Heidi Schuttenberg

Where: ARC Centre of Excellence Conference Room, JCU (DB044).

When: Thursday, 29th October 2009 9.00am – 10.00am

Ms. Schuttenberg has led research and management projects to strengthen coral reef management and policy in Southeast Asia, Australia and the U.S. She has been awarded fellowships from the U.S. Fulbright Scholars program and the International Society of Reef Studies. Currently she is completing her Ph.D. at James Cook University with the support of an Endeavor Post-graduate Research Scholarship.

ABSTRACT:

During my Ph.D., I adapted an influential methodology from Organizational Theory to develop a typology (the Unified Effectiveness Framework) that describes common goals & approaches for governance in coral reef ecosystems.  The UEF provides an over-arching, visual model that contextualizes individual case studies based on their goals or “theory-of-action”.  It clarifies the major theoretical assumptions from multiple disciplines that currently influence reef conservation strategies and provides:

• A strategic planning tool (‘map & compass’) to improve projects & programs in practice
• A research framework for moving toward a more coherent, testable theoretical foundation for systematically strengthening reef governance