Early Warning and Monitoring System (EWAMS) Project
Abstract
The early Warning and Monitoring System (EWAMS) project has ended. With it ends the World Event Interaction Survey (WEIS) data collection--the longest running day-to-day international politics data collection of its type. The two projects (WEIS and EWAMS) are closely connected. WEIS was the 'basic' research forerunner to the 'applied' EWAMS. WEIS data, concepts, computer technology, indicators, and statistical techniques were implemented in the EWAMS project. Five years ago, the EWAMS project was initiated, eleven years after the WEIS project collected its first data. The main idea for the EWAMS project was to transfer all that had been learned, built, collected, and produced in a university setting to a government foreign affairs setting. Then, as now, the basic thought was far reaching and exciting; a product (WEIS) developed with government funds in an academic setting for theoretical concerns would potentially be used by foreign affairs personnel with very definite practical policy concerns. Despite all the excitement, the computer time, the government funding, and the brain trust assembled to undertake this task, the bridge between theory and practice was never actually built. Many reasons for this exist. The main purpose of this Final Report is to outline some of those reasons. This is done so that future projects of this type will be better prepared for some of the obstacles, for which avenues not to take, and for which mistakes not to repeat. It is important to keep in mind that the EWAMS was successful, but that the final goal of bridging theory and practice proved elusive.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA111924
Entities
People
- Frederick A. Rothe