Sinn Fein surge in Ireland could be short-lived

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Identity Politics ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Green Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sinn Fein ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Form Part ◽  
First Time

Subject Sinn Fein surge. Significance On February 8, Sinn Fein (SF), Ireland’s left-wing nationalist party, won the first-preference vote for the first time, receiving 24.5%. However, it is unlikely to form part of the next government because it did not win enough seats. It is too early to say if SF’s rise constitutes a long-term realignment in Irish politics; its surge in support was based on voters' pragmatic concerns surrounding housing and health policy and far less on support for the party's identity politics. Impacts A ‘thin’ Brexit trade deal and an OECD digital tax would limit Ireland’s ability to increase public spending significantly. Ireland’s Brexit stance is unlikely to change much under a new government. The Green Party will likely form part of the next government, making climate change policy a greater priority for Dublin.

Too resilient for anyone’s good

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance Nizami
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Stimulus ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Infant Vision ◽  
Efficacious Treatment ◽  
Stimulus Detection ◽  
First Time

Purpose This study aims to examine the observer’s role in “infant psychophysics”. Infant psychophysics was developed because the diagnosis of perceptual deficits should be done as early in a patient’s life as possible, to provide efficacious treatment and thereby reduce potential long-term costs. Infants, however, cannot report their perceptions. Hence, the intensity of a stimulus at which the infant can detect it, the “threshold”, must be inferred from the infant’s behavior, as judged by observers (watchers). But whose abilities are actually being inferred? The answer affects all behavior-based conclusions about infants’ perceptions, including the well-proselytized notion that auditory stimulus-detection thresholds improve rapidly during infancy. Design/methodology/approach In total, 55 years of infant psychophysics is scrutinized, starting with seminal studies in infant vision, followed by the studies that they inspired in infant hearing. Findings The inferred stimulus-detection thresholds are those of the infant-plus-watcher and, more broadly, the entire laboratory. The thresholds are therefore tenuous, because infants’ actions may differ with stimulus intensity; expressiveness may differ between infants; different watchers may judge infants differently; etc. Particularly, the watcher’s ability to “read” the infant may improve with the infant’s age, confounding any interpretation of perceptual maturation. Further, the infant’s gaze duration, an assumed cue to stimulus detection, may lengthen or shorten nonlinearly with infant age. Research limitations/implications Infant psychophysics investigators have neglected the role of the observer, resulting in an accumulation of data that requires substantial re-interpretation. Altogether, infant psychophysics has proven far too resilient for its own good. Originality/value Infant psychophysics is examined for the first time through second-order cybernetics. The approach reveals serious unresolved issues.

Climate Change Policy and Law in China

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex L. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Climate Change Negotiations ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Climate Change Response ◽  
International Climate ◽  
Change Response ◽  
First Time

This chapter outlines China’s developing climate change response. The nation is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and the largest consumer of energy. China’s engagement in the international climate change negotiations can be divided into three phases: a ‘learning’ phase from 1989 to 1995; a shift toward more active participation between 1995 and 2007; and more comprehensive engagement on climate change domestically and internationally around the time of the UN Climate Conference in Bali in 2007. Shortly before the conference, Chinese authorities announced for the first time a comprehensive National Climate Change Program. It presented a range of existing policies created earlier to address other energy and environmental issues.

A new goal-directed benchmarking for supplier selection in the presence of undesirable outputs

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Azadi ◽  
Reza Farzipoor Saen ◽  
Kamyar Hosseinzadeh Zoroufchi
Keyword(s):  
Supplier Selection ◽  
Efficient Frontier ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Undesirable Outputs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Goals ◽  
Monitoring Process ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
First Time

Purpose – In this paper, the authors extend the goal-directed benchmarking theory proposed by Stewart for benchmarking and selecting suppliers. This extension is in recognition of the fact that benchmarking for suppliers is more than a pure monitoring process and includes a component of future planning. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the proposed model utilizes a goal programming structure to find points on the efficient frontier which are realistically attainable by suppliers in the presence of undesirable outputs, but at the same time achieving a closer method to long-term organizational goals (as distinct from the local performance of individual suppliers). Findings – The contributions of the current paper are as follows: the proposed model considers undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking. The proposed model does not demand weights from the decision maker. The proposed model can be easily computerized, enabling it to serve as a decision making tool to assist decision makers. For the first time, the proposed model is applied for the supplier selection and benchmarking. Originality/value – To the best of knowledge of the authors, there is not any reference that discusses supplier selection problem and benchmarking in the presence of undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking.

The durability of sulfate resisting mortar with partial replacement by cement kiln dust

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
Moayad M. Kassim
Keyword(s):  
Partial Replacement ◽  
Cement Kiln Dust ◽  
Cement Kiln ◽  
Saline Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Requirements ◽  
One Year ◽  
First Time ◽  
Kiln Dust

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to reuse cement kiln dust (CKD) in cement products and report the results of determining the long-term compression and flexural tensile strengths of mortars containing CKD as a partial replacement of sulfate-resistant cement (SRC). During the manufacturing of Portland cement, voluminous quantities of the byproduct dust are produced, which is commonly known as CKD. In the past decade, according to environmental requirements, many researchers have attempted to reuse CKD in cement products. Design/methodology/approach – The long-term compression and flexural tensile strengths of mortars containing CKD as a partial replacement of SRC were tested. The replacement ratios in this study were 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent. The specimens were exposed to a highly saline environment after normal curing in water for a 28-day period. Findings – The results indicated a slight increase in the strength of CKD–SRC mortar containing 10 per cent CKD and moderate sulfate resistance when the CKD ratio reached 20 per cent, as compared to the reference mortar. In addition, CKD did not adversely affect the properties of SRC mortar subjected to sulfate exposure, even after one year. Originality/value – The tests were inducted for the first time on SRC, and the new results can be used to produce an environmental-friendly concrete.

New Irish leader is likely to be stop-gap

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Water ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sinn Fein ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
Water Charges ◽  
Form Part ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Uk

Significance In the weeks prior to the visit, Kenny declared that he would "effectively and conclusively" deal with the issue of his departure from office following his return to Dublin. A long-running scandal over a police whistle-blower has undermined Kenny's leadership of the Fine Gael party and opened fissures within the ruling coalition. Impacts Several independent members of parliament, including Katherine Zappone, could lose their seats if a snap election is called. Dublin could seek guarantees from the UK government in Brexit talks allowing for future Irish reunification. Sinn Fein will likely increase their numbers in a forthcoming poll, but are unlikely to form part of the next administration. Renewed divisions over domestic water charges could prompt the downfall of the current government.

Gender equality will see uneven progress in Mexico

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
National Development ◽  
State Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Government ◽  
Employment Of Women ◽  
First Time

Subject The Mexican government's advances towards greater gender equality. Significance President Enrique Pena Nieto has been active in promoting gender equality at home and abroad, and his government has repeatedly voiced its commitment to the UN's Millennium Development Goals, particularly regarding female empowerment. The Pena Nieto administration included a gender dimension in its National Development Plan for the first time, and has allocated significant resources to supporting women. Efforts have focused not only on the federal level, but also at state level, as illustrated by the signing of a collaboration agreement in December 2015 between the government and the National Conference of Governors. Impacts Bridging the gender gap across all government levels will be an expensive and difficult task, with uneven success across the country. Any reductions in domestic violence rates will require long-term efforts to change attitudes from the bottom up. Quotas that encourage the employment of women, regardless of merit, may perpetuate politics' reputation for being corrupt and nepotistic.

Russia will lag on climate action despite policy shift

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Russian Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Policy Shift ◽  
International Climate

Subject Climate change policy views in Russia. Significance After years of delay, the Russian government has acceded to the Paris Agreement to limit global warming. This is a positive step, although the decision is more symbolism than substance. Moscow's obligations under the agreement are very limited and powerful domestic interests are obstructing implementation of a more active climate policy. Impacts Due to warming in the Arctic, Russia plans to increase cargo traffic along its Arctic maritime route to 80 million tonnes per year by 2024. As Russia promotes itself as an international climate leader, state-owned Rusnano is promoting high-tech solutions to emissions reductions. Objections to radical policy change will not be couched in the language of climate change denial.

Fast media cycle will hinder prudent policymaking

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Political Campaigns ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Rapid Response Teams ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Basic Facts ◽  
Policy Direction ◽  
Political Decisions

Subject Rapid response decision-making. Significance The advent of the internet, social media and high-speed communications are forcing officials to respond quickly to situations when basic facts on the ground may still be unclear. Government and political decisions are now expected to be delivered faster than ever, but the cognitive burdens of those decisions have not changed. Impacts Political campaigns will increasingly employ rapid-response teams to address claims as quickly as possible. Rapid-response teams are not the same as the policy team, meaning that they are rarely given leeway to change policy direction. Decisions by rapid-response teams may make officials more likely to double down on a position and prevent flexibility in the long term.

New directions in sustainable tourism research

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Ruhanen ◽  
Char-lee Moyle ◽  
Brent Moyle
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Big Picture ◽  
Brundtland Report

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to expand our understanding of sustainable tourism research given that both researchers and policymakers consistently question the effectiveness of sustainable tourism and its practices, applications and practical adoption.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of the research was to provide an update on previous studies by examining how sustainable tourism research has progressed in the five intervening years since Ruhanenet al.completed their 25-year bibliometric analysis.FindingsThis paper provides insights into how sustainable tourism research has developed over the 30 years since the publication of the Brundtland report. It shows that over the past five years, the field has matured to place greater emphasis on climate change, modeling, values, behavior and theoretical progression.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research in the field should aim to better understand the methods and analysis techniques being used in sustainable tourism, as well as how sustainable tourism and climate change policy and actions translate into policy and practice.Originality/valueBibliometrics and text mining shows that 30 years after the Brundtland report, sustainable tourism research continues to grow exponentially, with evidence that the field is starting to mature by broadening its horizons and focusing on more relevant, big-picture and hard-hitting topics, such as climate change.

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