Strategic Adaptation in the South China Sea: Applying the Nine Constants and Nine Variables Framework

The research paper is your opportunity to explore strategy or strategy making in-depth in
the situation and/or from the perspective you have identified in your research proposal
by applying all or a portion of our analytical framework comprised of Nine
Constants and Nine Variables to a strategic situation of your choosing and which is not
one of our case studies.
You must submit a paper of 16-18 pages that uses at least five credible
academic sources as the basis for the evidence used in your analysis of your
particular strategic situation. This will be the result of cumulative efforts throughout
the course.
The Week 2 research proposal assignment will provide the first 6-8
pages of your paper. This includes your Research Question, Tentative
Hypothesis, a Concise Description of the strategic situation you are
addressing, and a Literature Review. You must make the necessary
revisions to these aspects after receiving my feedback and for the final
paper.
The Week 6 research paper must provide at least 10 pages of additional
analysis. This part of the paper presents the findings of your
research, derived from applying our analytical framework comprised of Nine
Constants and Nine Variables to your particular strategic situation, states
explicitly whether the results confirmed or refuted your Tentative
Hypothesis from Week 2 research proposal (either outcome is acceptable as long
as the finds support your conclusion), and provides a conclusion that addressed
the validity and usefulness of our analytical framework comprised of Nine
Constants and Nine Variables based upon how it helped you evaluate your
particular strategic situation.
Here is an example of the MILS514 research paper for your reference and
use. Written by a former student in MILS514, it
is properly formatted, contains all required components, is well
written in the appropriate voice (i.e, thrid person formal and not first
person informal) and properly supported with sufficient number of
references to ample credible and scholarly sources, and it should
provide you with an excellent example to show you what “right looks
like” for this assignment. You are free to use it as a template to format
your own paper (a very good idea!), and you are also free to use its
substnace to show you how and how much in depth to address the
required components of this assignment.
Here is the format for your research paper:

1. A Title Page listing your title, name, course name and number, date, and my
   name as the professor.
2. Your primary Research Question (revised as necessary from the Week 2
   assignment), stated in the form of a single clearly worded open-ended question that is
   not able to be answered with a “yes” or “no” response.
3. Your Hypothesis (revised as necessary from the Week 2 assignment) that presents
   your “best guess” at what you think the answer to your research question will be.
4. A Concise Description of the strategic situation you are addressing (revised as
   necessary from the Week 2 assignment).
5. Literature Review (revised as necessary from the Week 2 assignment) that identifies
   the gaps you found in the existing literature as they apply to your topic and approach.
6. The Findings of Your Research, derived from applying our analytical
   framework comprised of Nine Constants and Nine Variables to your particular
   strategic situation.
7. The Results of your findings that states explicitly whether the results confirmed
   or refuted your Hypothesis (either outcome is acceptable as long as the finds support
   your conclusion).
8. A Conclusion that addresses the validity and usefulness of our analytical
   framework based upon how effective it was in helping you evaluate your particular
   strategic situation.
9. References. providing complete citations for all references in the paper.
   Technical Requirements
   Your paper must be at a minimum of 16-18 pages (the Title and Reference pages
   do not count towards the minimum limit).
   Scholarly and credible references should be used. A good rule of thumb is at least
   2 scholarly sources per page of content.
   Type in Times New Roman, 12 point and double space.
   Students will follow the current Turabian Style as the sole citation and reference
   style used in written work submitted as part of coursework.
   Points will be deducted for the use of Wikipedia or encyclopedic type sources. It is
   highly advised to utilize books, peer-reviewed journals, articles, archived
   documents, etc.
   All submissions will be graded using the assignment rubric.