Research Projects: There is a great deal of formality regarding approval and support of research at the University. Therefore, I will be submitting my proposal this week. Below is an excerpt from a letter and proposal I plan to submit. For translation summary, see column at left, …Regarding Research. Reiterating, approximately 70% of my time will be devoted to research.
21/8: My proposal was accepted by the Institute of Economic Science Research, which is the research unit within the University of Costa Rica, and highly esteemed at the country level. I never considered requesting their support as I simply was not knowledgeable. This is good news, indeed. This all happened based on the advice of a Rotary club member. As it turns out, I will be given an office (one-half) day w/computer and phone, secretarial services, a researcher to assist with data compilation, and assistance with setting up interviews. For more information about IICE see http://www.iice.ucr.ac.cr/pagina3.htm
Investigaciones propuestas:
Mi trabajo de investigación se centrará e el tema: Costa Rica: Preparativos necesarios para la seguridad logística y capacitación de los recursos humanos frente al CAFTA-DR: Un Estudio de Casos
Puesto que Costa Rica fue uno de los primeros designados en 1983 para la Iniciativa de la Cuenca del Caribe (la CBI), resulta propicio para hacer mis investigaciones. Mi propuesta es investigar las implicaciones de las pautas de CAFTA-DR en cuanto a la capacitación de recursos humanos e integración de medidas de seguridad, logística y tecnología en la región. Espero conseguir entrevistas con las compañías y agencias siguientes, P/O Nedlloyd, Seaboard Marine, Remarsa, Junta de Administración Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente (JAPDEVA), FUNDES, Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico (INCOP), Fed Ex Corp., empresas locales: Hewlett Packard, IBM, Teradyne, Sykes, Baxter, Procter & Gamble, e Intel. Así esta labor tendrá la figura de un estudio de casos. He hecho varios estudios longitudinales sobre la Iniciativa de la Cuenca del Caribe y los siguientes tratados relacionados. Por lo tanto, este trabajo de campo en particular constituye una progresión natural de esfuerzos ya realizados.
24/8: Participated in a rural community effort by a Rotary Club. Every Rotary Club has their community project, and this one was a cooperative effort with Fiderpac, a non-governmental organization that provides small business and other financing to rural communities. It was about an hour + drive to San Pedro de Puriscal, a very precious community in the mountains northwest of San José. Additionally, there was a workshop going on for women on the subject of small business development and microfinancing. My Rotary “godfather” was evaluating a survey that was intended to measure customer satisfaction with Fiderpac. I really enjoyed the opportunity to participate in these efforts. I used to do workshops for women with the Small Business Association (SBA) some years ago; this reminded me of those efforts. In this case, however, financing requests could be for other purposes than a business development. Examples include: to purchase cattle, do improvements on a house, and more.