Combating Cyber Crime in the UAE and the UK - Research Proposal Example

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY ON COMBATING CYBER CRIME: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM By (Insert your full names here) 1. Proposal introduction This section succinctly describes the motivation for the research. In order to do this, the section begins with a relatively bigger issue and it is for this reason that issues like history of communication and war against cybercrime have been discussed here. Also visited are current legal frameworks that fight cybercrimes. This is followed by the specific issue which is a discussion on the strategies of combating cybercrime and in this case, the introduction brings strategies that United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom have used to legally deal with cases on cybercrime. In doing this, the introduction also revisits the aspects of previous research in this case, methodological flaws on cybercrime has manifested in the literatures such as Magnin (2001) and Kouri (2004). Towards the end of the introduction, such methodological flaws have also been highlighted. Also mentioned is how the research will attempt to address them. This section ends with highlighting in the introduction, the rationale for the proposed research. 2. Literature Reviews This part of the proposal critically reviews published researches on cybercrimes, legal wars on cybercrime and how the governments of United Kingdom and United Arabs Emirates have come up with strategies to fight the crime. The review of these literatures, particularly Soumyo (2012) and Criminal Law and Criminal Justice (2013) directly relate to the hypotheses, operationalisation and definition of terms the methodology and data analyses that are later described in the proposal. Connected to this point, some of the literatures considered such as Kadane (2008); Heath (2008) directly reports the existing relationship between cybercrime cases and strategies that both countries have used to avert the crime. This is directly related to one of the variables that the proposed research will work with. In addition to that, literatures such as Inman and Rudin (2009); United Nations Resolution (2005) have been reviewed to show how empirical and theoretical models as used by this proposal challenges or supports the proposed specific focus. Another important aspect that has been highlighted in the literature review is the explanation of the theoretical explanation regarding the relationships among the variables of interest that have been captured in the introduction, literature review and methodology sections. To be specific, Sales and Folkman (2010); Leyden (2010) have comprehensively discussed comparative laws dealing with cybercrime in both countries thus have been considered to provide descriptive information regarding the related problems and interventions. Other areas covered in the literature reviews are: a. Problem area: Under the sub-topic UAE and UK laws on cybercrime, this section of review deals with materials that are directly relating to the problem being studied (Combating cybercrime: a comparative study of the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom). Actually, Sales and Folkman (2010); Leyden (2010) represent two substantive areas that have been reviewed because most of research visited involve variables that have been studied in separate substantive areas. b. Theory area: this proposal through literatures reviewed, has identified social science theory that relates to cybercrime. Such theories include Space Transition which provides theoretical direction through which I choose to understand and view the problem. In addition, the theory gives guidelines that assist in explaining the core of problems and linking mechanisms that help connect the variables. c. Methodology: under the sub-topic ‘understanding the nature of cybercrime in UAE and UK and UAE and UK laws on cybercrime’ there are literatures which have been reviewed that are appropriate to aspects of the problems. These aspects include research design, methods of data collection and measurement approaches used in previous investigations in the same area of study. 3. Research questions This research proposal has identified two questions. Generally, these question help in testing the hypothesis, collection of data, and evaluation of the sources to be used. These questions are; a. How do United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom laws compare when dealing with cybercrime? b. What are the cybercrime strategies between the United Kingdom and United Arabs Emirates? In as much, these questions serve specific role as far as the problem to be researched is concerned. For instance, the first question is narrow thus addresses the specific area that fits within the research design and methodology. In addition, when United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom laws are compared against cybercrime, the first question clearly establishes dependent (United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom laws) and independent (cybercrime) variables. In so doing, the dependent variable becomes the main focus of this proposal. On the other hand, the first question brings the independent variable which is the causal factor that tends to influence the problem of the research. Also, given the time, characteristics of the participants and resources available, the question is structured with respect to the above variables which are actually critical to the model and feasibility of the investigation to be undertaken. The second question on the other hand challenges assumptions present in the research proposal. Since it tends to investigate the cybercrime strategies between the United Kingdom and United Arabs Emirates, the assumption available in this case is that there are strategies that have been developed by both countries. To this regard, such assumption helps this proposal confirm that the study will poses a sound research question. Secondly, this question has been developed since it is able to examine what this proposal regards as scope, scalability, size and sustainability. Within this context, scope will be dealing with extent the programme activities will be affected. Sustainability is the ability for long-term support of the research, size means the magnitude of the effect that can be produced by intervention and scalability will be concerned with the ability of the project areas of studies to be expanded through a series of graded steps. 4. Research Aims As stated in the research proposal, there is one aim and that is to critically compare legal approaches used in United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom dealing with cybercrime. This aim has been chosen since it is the broad point about what the research hopes to accomplish and the desired outcome from the process of researching. Since United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom operate with established legal frameworks that differ and compare significantly when dealing with cases of cybercrime, the aim focus on long-term outcomes intended. In addition to that, the aim introduces what is missing from the literatures reviewed thus identifying the gap in knowledge. Actually it is the gap in knowledge that the proposal finds to be holding back the field and is what the entire research will attempt to address thus providing the linkage or concordance between the identified aim and parts of central hypothesis earlier identified in the literature reviews and research questions. Finally, looking at the aim, there is a statement that reads, ‘Compare legal approaches used in United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom’ This is to mean that there is expected outcome which critically articulates the expected products of the research. 5. Research objectives This research proposal has identified four objectives. While each objective serves a purpose, generally, these objectives set out how to accomplish the above aim. That is, while the aim stated above seems to be broad in its approach, the objectives are focussed and practical. Addressing each objective at a time, the first one states, “To critically compare quantitative and qualitative data from respondents from United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom with a view to integrating such with literature reviews.” This way, the objective help the research pinpoint the research’s key immediate effects. The second objective on the other hand interrelates with the aim stated above. Actually, the first three objectives describe how the aim is going to be met. It is for this reason that these objectives have been tailored to be realistic with respect to the scope and resources available. The last objective on the other hand has been designed to augur well with plans the research intends to take in order to deal with practical problem or ethical issues that may be encountered. The last objective reads ‘To effectively assess the effectiveness of cybercrime strategies by looking at the number of cases handled vis-à-vis mitigated cases.’ This objective helps in planning research plan, choosing interview theme and shaping the questions that I will ask during data collection. Secondly this objective is specific and thus linking the secondary research problem. Another point to note regarding the four objectives identified is that the research proposal will be looking for actionable information and knowledge from qualitative research and it is for this reason that the first three objectives are general thus helping to link to the primary research problems. 6. Research Design and Methods This section analyses in detail, how the research will be conducted. This section fuses in its analyses sub-sections such as design, data collection and data analysis have been succinctly highlighted. Before embarking on how each sub-section is detailed, the general approach of the research design and methods is that the sub-sections describe a particular topic which is followed by ways of testing or other measurements the proposal is going to use with the participants. One of such sub-sections is the subject. In this case, the proposal has identified subject as United Kingdom and United Arabs Emirates organisations that are related with cybercrime activities. Other subjects that have been identified in this research proposal are the judicial institutions, business organisations and individuals directly or indirectly affected by cybercrime activities. Another thing that has not been captured in the proposal but will be included during the research process is that the identified subject will be volunteers while others will have to be solicited through the help of responsible organisation(s) and or individuals. Among the volunteering group, there will be a comparison group to help the research achieve its intended objectives and aims. This proposal argues that the main method that will be adopted in collecting the needed data will be critical review and analyses of already existing literatures. And to make the process achieve the objective of the research, the research will embark on selection of relevant materials that will be used in the study. It needs to be noted that this proposal will select group of individual who will provide more information regarding the relevant materials collected. The second sub-section that has been captured under design and methods is actually the design. This section describes the type of research design that will be used. This proposal suggests the design to integrate both the quasi-experimental and experimental designs. Due to the adoption of the framework suggested by Tapscott (2008), the proposal also suggested to collect primary data from courts and department databases. Still in design, this is the section that the proposal suggests the sequence of events that will be included in the process of conducting the research. Since materials and resources selected will be the ones dealing with legal frameworks on how to fight cybercrime in United Arabs Emirates and United Kingdom, the design states how subjects identified above will be divided and how their contributions will be in the process of researching. The last sub-section that has been reviewed in research design and methodology is data collection. This area explains how the research will be operationalising the variables that will be included in the proposed evaluation. This proposal considers dependent variables as the outcomes of the cybercrime activities as well as the outcomes of the strategies as applied by both governments. On the other hand, independent variables include approaches that will be used as interventions and subject characteristics that directly influence dependent variables. Therefore data collection sub-section also describes how each variable will be measured. 7. Study population To begin with, this proposal understands that there is difference between a sample and population. Population is understood to be people who include all or any other individual having the same features as the sample though will not be participating in the study but are sharing the same geographic location during the same period of the research. Sample on the other hand, is a small portion of population that will be directly involved in the study. To this regard, the proposal has suggested to be working with 40 individuals as sample. As stated in the methodology section, this number will however, not include the control group. In addition, 40 individual as stated is not the target population instead, a group of individual who the research is actually going to study. The target group in this case will be concerned people within U.K and UAE with the same features as the target group. This proposal also realises that it will not be possible due to time and financial constraints, to perform research on all individual with same characteristics as sample (the entire population affected by cybercrime activities). It is for this reason that it has settled on the sub-set of 40 selected people. It is important to note that the research will be using interviews and questionnaires at some point to gather data thus making sample population as selected essential. In as much, this summary has to explain that though the sample will be the focal point, the result drawn from the investigation will be interpreted and used directly to represent the population which in this case is the United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom population. 8. Intervention This part deals with respect for human dignity. It outlines how the research will ultimately consider the ethics on how to go about making claims of policy, statistical or practical significance. For instance, the proposal will engage pre-programmed survey laptop for the visits in the institutions/companies. To this extent, the methodology adopted provides convections regarding what results may be stated as significant and the levels of margins of mistakes or error are accepted by the research. The second aspect of the intervention relates to relationship the research will have with the sample or the general population. This will actually not be just relationship with people in accordance to their institutions or code of behaviour but protocols and a given set of guidelines as dictated by the research. In this case, this proposal has proposed that information gathered from interviews, closed and open ended questionnaires from the 40 individuals will be stored as XML file and encrypted for confidentiality. 9. Theoretical framework The proposal has dedicated this part to detail theories that will be guiding the proposed study. It also needs to be established that the research proposal suggests mentioning of relevant theories related with the research topic then picking one that best suits the situation (Space Transition Theory). From the theory selected, the research will be able to inform the statement of the problem, the hypothesis, the purpose of the study, the methodology of the study and the choice of the instrument. This section also explains the main tenants of the theory and how these theories relate to the proposed research. Since the final findings of the research will be discussed with regard to how they are related with the theory, the theories have been tailored in such a manner that they have direct relationship not only with the topic but the literatures reviewed. 10. Rationale and significance Throughout the research proposal, instances of rationale and significance of the research has been highlighted. However, this is also summarised in this section. Beginning with rationale, this section highlights reasons for focussing on my stated objectives, aim and hypothesis. Secondly, rationale also justifies the reason why the research has chosen the methods and the materials that has been proposed for the research. On the other hand, significance of the research highlights both the basic and the applied significance of the research to be conducted. That is, ways the research will bring a different perspective regarding strategies of combating cybercrime within United Kingdom and United Arabs Emirates. 11. Anticipated contribution to new knowledge The proposal highlights, basing on the methodology, hypotheses, aim and objectives, the contribution this research will bring to the field. This contributed is embedded on the literatures reviewed vis-à-vis gaps that still exist from other researches done. For instance, through the literatures that have been reviewed, it is only Heath (2008) who has tried to compare the the newly amended UAE Federal Law No (2) of 2006 and the Police Act which actually amended the Computer Misuse Act. This means that there is need to revisit the amended Computer Misuse Act thus bringing new dimension especially when space transition theory is integrated. 12. The gaps identified from previous studies The gaps identified have been generated from the literatures reviewed. This is the part will be key when conducting the research in the field and the kind of information and data that will be relevant to the research. For example, this proposal has already recognized that the term cybercrime is quite general. That is, there are several crimes that sum up cybercrime. Therefore it is noted that previous researches like that of Flewitt (2005) have not broken down what sums up cybercrime thus failing to explain strategies government of United Kingdom has taken to deal with the crime or elements of cybercrime. 13. Proposed timetable This part of the research proposal explains the sequence of events and activities that will be necessary while the research will be conducted. As indicated in the research proposal, this section has included the time needed to complete each activity. This section has been included so that the panel and or readers can have a clear understanding regarding what steps will be taken, the order in which those activities will be taken and time each step will need. Important to note is that the time provided in the proposal are just estimates though there is clear idea regarding the span of time each phase will take. The actual period may vary with the estimate though the range is not expected to be wide. 14. Reference lists This section details all reference materials that have been reviewed as well as those that the proposal has considered in some instances when developing research questions, methodology and design. These references conform to acceptable journal format as directed by the supervisor. It is also worth noting that these references do not constitute the page limitation that has been given for the proposal. Appendix This research proposal is complete however, in additions to the descriptions that have been given; there is inclusion of an appendix that is directly related with the proposal. In this case, there is a sample of a questionnaire that the research will be considering while doing the research. Read More