An integrated product policy decision framework

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-74
Author(s):  
Teodora Obradovikj Grncarovska ◽  
Vladimir Dukovski ◽  
Manu Sharma

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to formulate an integrated product policy (IPP) framework for the Republic of Macedonia, taking into account unique circumstances faced by the country, particularly the mandatory transposition of European Union (EU) environmental legislation, limited country-specific data availability and the low level of environmental awareness. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed IPP indicators at EU level and the available indicators in Macedonian conditions were used in order to create a composite IPP index as a method of measurement of the level of IPP implementation in the country. Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) are used as a policy decision approach for IPP. The purpose is to evaluate what decisions (taken now and in the future) would lead to the best possible level of IPP implementation. The approach applicability for long-term policy planning is demonstrated using a simple numerical example. Findings – A stylized numerical example utilizing the composite IPP index and the MDP approach indicate that policy makers should focus not only on transposing the mandatory EU legislation related to IPP, but simultaneously work to raise public awareness of IPP and environmental issues, since this opens the door for more beneficial policy alternatives in the future. Considering the long-term consequences of actions taken in the present time should be an essential part of policy design, given the pervasive and long-term nature of the effects of IPP policy. It is also very important to revisit the assumptions at regular intervals and incorporate into this framework the new learning and data obtained with time. Originality/value – This IPP framework and quantitative policy decision approach, in spite of its limitations, is a valuable and informative guide for IPP policy makers in the Republic of Macedonia. By incorporating a long-term view, explicit measurement of progress towards IPP implementation and the consideration of possible future consequences of policy decisions made in the present, it should be possible to significantly increase the likelihood of successful IPP implementation and improve environmental outcomes than those obtained using more conventional approaches.

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
Gligor Kanevce ◽  
Aleksandar Dedinec ◽  
Aleksandra Dedinec ◽  
Ljubica Kanevce

In this paper the possibilities, disadvantages and benefits of long-term planning of energy development, are analysed. The factors influencing the development of energy and the factors influencing the accuracy of forecasting of the future development of energy are presented. The uncertainties that make the differences in modelling on a global scale, as well as the uncertainties that make the differences in modelling of the energy development of the Republic of Macedonia are also presented. Sensitivity analysis of the influence of different factors on the development of energy in the Republic of Macedonia was carried out. For those purposes the energy development of the Republic of Macedonia for the period up to 2035 year is calculated by using MARKAL model. The main features of the MARKAL model are also presented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 460-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiwen Chen

Purpose Bottlenecked by rural underdevelopment, China’s overall development is bound to be inadequate and unbalanced. Through a brief retrospect of the reform directed against the “equalitarianism (egalitarianism)” in China’s rural areas, as well as the Chinese Government’s conceptual transformation and systemic construction and improvement thereof, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the panoramic significance of rural reform; the necessity, priority, and long-term nature of the current rural development; and the important role of public policy in doing so. It also looks ahead to consider the prospects for future rural reform. Design/methodology/approach This paper first reviews the rural reforms that were carried out in 1978. Second, it introduces the government’s conceptual change regarding rural reform and the establishment and improvement of the system that underlies it. Finally, the future of rural reform is envisaged. Findings The initial rural reforms brought extensive and profound changes to China’s rural areas. The experience of rural reform has been referred to and escalated by other fields of study. Hence, rural reforms have become something of global significance. Moreover, since the government can undertake reforms well beyond the reach of farmers, its views must be modified in a timely manner, and only then may it reasonably construct and improve the system pertaining to the “three rural issues (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers).” Originality/value This paper reviews the rural reforms carried out in 1978. It introduces the government’s change of concept with respect to rural reforms and the establishment and improvement of the system based on the “three rural issues,” thus looking forward to the future of rural reforms. The findings of this paper are of significance to the formulation of future agricultural policies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-193
Author(s):  
John Adams ◽  
Andrew YC Wong

Purpose – This paper publishes summary results for the first time of a major survey of senior financial practitioners undertaken in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2005, and compares these with the Global Financial Centre Index first created in 2007 to determine the extent to which both are consistent. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a detailed survey and utilizes principal-components analysis to determine the primary factors relevant to the development of both cities as international financial centres (IFCs) and those which the respondents consider will be relevant in the future. Findings – The paper demonstrates that the key “success factors” for both cities in 2005 remain very important in the global financial centres index (GFCI) analysis ten years later but not necessarily by the same ranking. We also found that a number of the “primary” factors change when respondents are asked to consider future success factors. Research limitations/implications – The survey was conducted ten years ago; however, the results continue to have significant reliability and validity - especially when compared with the results of the GFCI report of 2014. Practical implications – The paper should enable policy makers and practitioners to better understand the future policy environment needed for extending the financial centre status of both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Originality/value – This is the first time (some) of the survey findings that have ever been published, and they represent a rich source of information – however, the authors will be examining the survey data for future publications.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Petrusheva ◽  
Aleksandar Nikolovski

Amongst economists there is a broad consensus that in order to overcome economic stagnation the economic growth model should be more directed towards increasing investments and export and less reliant on consumption. The stable commitment towards improving the business ambient, the implementation of structural reforms in the field of competitiveness, the export sector as well as investments in infrastructure and education are the fundamental prerequisites to be realized for the opening of perspectives in the overall social development of the countries in the Western Balkans, including the Republic of Macedonia. The dominant driving force of economic growth – investments (foreign and domestic) have not been sufficiently implemented so that structural economic problems such as the low GDP growth rate, unsatisfactory export, unfavourable industrial structure have been present during the entire periodsince the independence of the Republic of Macedonia. Unlike other countries in Middle and Eastern Europe such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in which foreign capital was steered towards manufacturing higher added value products, in the Republic of Macedonia investment entered mainly the trade and the banking industry, and quite less in manufacturing.Lacking own significant capacities for considerable increase of the gross-investment rate, assets sources for investments must be found in foreign accumulation, particularly via foreign direct investments so as not to increase the degree indebting the country. The global economic and financial crisis which spread over Europe in the last years has motivated the countries in the Western Balkans, including the Republic of Macedonia, to engage into a more active and more aggressive attraction of foreign capital. Foreign direct investments are considered the highest economic priority for long-term development, whereas the benefits to the national economy are multiple and influence the reduction of unemployment, increase of export, inflow of new technology, knowledge and skills, as well as improvement of the population’s living standard. However, despite the commitment, reforms and activities undertaken to attract FDI, the countries of the Western Balkans are facing remarks from investors for having an insufficiently reformed judicial system, bureaucratic issues, inefficient public administration and corruption. Therefore, it is essential to work continually on improving the macroeconomic environment and implement a long-term strategy to attract FDI through active policies.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 68-85
Author(s):  
Cvetko Andreeski

Life insurance is very challenging sector in developing countries. Life insurance makes contribute at the investments in every country, so the more developed life insurance, more investments one should expect. One of the main aspects in calculation of risk in life insurance is using updated tables of mortality and forecast of the future values of mortality. There are many functions and models for mortality forecast calculation. Lee-Carter and Azbel Model for mortality trend calculation are used in this paper. In order to evaluate the results, data sets with the mortality in the Republic of Macedonia are used.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (15) ◽  
pp. 8250-8253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torben C. Rick ◽  
Daniel H. Sandweiss

We live in an age characterized by increasing environmental, social, economic, and political uncertainty. Human societies face significant challenges, ranging from climate change to food security, biodiversity declines and extinction, and political instability. In response, scientists, policy makers, and the general public are seeking new interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approaches to evaluate and identify meaningful solutions to these global challenges. Underrecognized among these challenges is the disappearing record of past environmental change, which can be key to surviving the future. Historical sciences such as archaeology access the past to provide long-term perspectives on past human ecodynamics: the interaction between human social and cultural systems and climate and environment. Such studies shed light on how we arrived at the present day and help us search for sustainable trajectories toward the future. Here, we highlight contributions by archaeology—the study of the human past—to interdisciplinary research programs designed to evaluate current social and environmental challenges and contribute to solutions for the future. The past is a multimillennial experiment in human ecodynamics, and, together with our transdisciplinary colleagues, archaeology is well positioned to uncover the lessons of that experiment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neale J. Slack ◽  
Gurmeet Singh

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty and the mediating role of customer satisfaction in the supermarket sector.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 480 supermarket customers participated in an intercept survey in four urban centres of Fiji. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the level of service quality provided by supermarkets, and inferential statistics to determine the gap between customer's service quality expectations and perceptions and to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate service quality of supermarkets is perceived as being unsatisfactory, service quality significantly affects customer satisfaction and loyalty and customer satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty reducing customer's perceptions of service quality, leading to lower customer loyalty.Practical implicationsThis study provides an indication as to where supermarkets should target their marketing attention and scarce corporate resources and may help in their efforts to service, satisfy, retain and attract more long-term loyal customers in the increasingly competitive supermarket sector. This research could inform government policy makers in sequencing the supermarket sector transformation and assist local supermarkets to adapt to this changing retail landscape.Originality/valueThis study advances our understanding of the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty and the mediating role of customer satisfaction in the supermarket sector.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Payne ◽  
Pennie Frow

Purpose This paper aims to review the growth and development of the field of relationship marketing and, through a consideration of this body of work, identifies key research priorities for the future of relationship marketing. The paper also delineates the frequently confused associated concepts of customer relationship management and customer management and considers how they fit within the broader concept of relationship marketing. Design/methodology/approach This paper undertakes a review of the relationship marketing literature, supplemented by the authors’ on-going interactive research with managers. Findings The paper reviews alternative approaches to relationship marketing, reflects on the development of the field of relationship marketing and identifies three critical priorities for future research in relationship marketing. Practical implications The research priorities that are identified in this paper represent important priorities for scholars, managers, regulators and policy makers. Originality/value Although there is now a substantial body of research on relationship, marketing, much of this work focuses on the customer-firm dyad, with a smaller body of work focusing on a broader range of stakeholders. This paper argues for the broadening of the role of relationship marketing to consider ecosystems; the need for firms to shift from a value-in-exchange to a value-in-use perspective when addressing customer relationships; and the critical need to address “dark side” behaviour and dysfunctional processes in relationship marketing.


1974 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian M. Rogerson

Jobs and their location provide the key to an understanding of the contemporary thrust of South Africa's ‘separate development’ policy. Within the country's present space economy, dominated by the four metropolitan complexes of the Southern Transvaal, Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth, this policy seeks to mould a new geography of employment opportunity for the blacks of South Arica. In this process, public policy-makers are attempting to decentralise some economic activities, particularly in the manufacturing sector, away from the nation's metropolitan hubs, and concomitantly to promote new work centres in, or on the borders of, the designated ‘Bantu Homelands’. The current emphasis in the Republic is upon the generation of industrial employment for Africans at selected sites in these Homelands. This short note explores the immediate problems and long-term prospects of this policy with reference to the Bophutatswana growth point of Babelegi.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 565-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsu-Wei Yu ◽  
Lu-Ming Tseng

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role of commercial long-term care insurance (LTCI) in long-term care (LTC) services, and to elucidate the mediating roles of service quality and relationship satisfaction in the relationship between customization and loyalty. In addition, this study offers important recommendations for policy makers in formulating policy aimed at supporting the industry and regulating its customer relationships in life insurers in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachStudy participants were policyholders of life insurance in Taiwan with experience in purchasing commercial LTCI. They were investigated through in-depth interviews and surveys. The hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis of variance.FindingsThe findings of this study are important for policy makers in formulating policy aimed at supporting the industry and regulating its customer relationships.Originality/valueThis study represents the first attempt to investigate the role of LTCI in LTC services in Taiwan. Likewise, this study improves our understanding of the main issues relating to the effect of customization on policyholder loyalty, and the partially mediating role of service quality and relationship satisfaction in the insurance marketing context.


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