Addressing the Crisis in Urban Water Access

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria A. Beard ◽  
Diana Mitlin
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Accurate Assessment ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Insufficient Attention ◽  
Global Data

This paper highlights challenges of water access in towns and cities of the global South and explores potential policy responses. These challenges are not new, although, we argue that they have been underestimated by policy makers due to a focus on global data, thus, resulting in decision makers paying insufficient attention to these problems. Policies need to be based on a more accurate assessment of challenges, specifically the need for continuous and affordable water service, and the need to provide services to informal settlements. We share findings from research on 15 cities across Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

scholarly journals Public Policy and Constitutional Rights in Times of Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmett Macfarlane
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Constitutional Rights ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Equality Rights ◽  
Division Of Powers ◽  
The Relationship

Federal and provincial policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic raise a host of constitutional issues that decision makers must pay heed to or risk serious violations of individual rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This research note will examine a number of policy challenges as they relate to mobility rights (s. 6), legal rights (ss. 7 through 14), and equality rights (s. 15) and will articulate the factors that policy makers should consider in design and implementation. Other important constitutional questions, such as those relating to the division of powers, emergency powers and the relationship between the executive and Parliament, have also emerged in Canada but are beyond the scope of this note.

scholarly journals Research use at the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso: the decision-makers’ perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Dagenais
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Informed Decision ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Policy Makers

Abstract Background Despite the increased emphasis placed on the use of evidence for policy development, relatively few initiatives have been developed to support evidence-informed decision-making, especially in West Africa. Moreover, studies examining the conditions under which policy-makers use research-based evidence are still scarce, but they show that their attitudes and opinions about research are one of the main determinants of such use. In February 2017, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Health planned to create a unit to promote evidence-informed decision-making within the ministry. Before the unit was set up, documenting the attitudes towards research at the highest levels of his Ministry appeared profitable to the unit’s planning. Method Individual interviews were conducted by the author with 14 actors positioned to consider evidence during decision-making from the Burkina Faso’s Minister of health cabinet. An interview grid was used to explore several themes such as attitudes towards research, obstacles and facilitators to research use, example of research use in decision-making and finally, ways to increase decision-makers’ participation in knowledge transfer activities. Interviews were partially transcribed and analysed by the author. Results The results show a mixed attitude towards research and relatively little indication of research use reported by respondents. Important obstacles were identified: evidence inaccessibility, lack of implementation guidelines, absence of clear communication strategy and studies’ lack of relevance for decision-making. Many suggestions were proposed such as raising awareness, improving access and research communication and prioritizing interactions with researchers. Respondents agree with the low participation of decision-makers in knowledge transfer activities: more leadership from the senior officials was suggested and greater awareness of the importance of their presence. Conclusions The conclusion presents avenues for reflection and action to increase the potential impact of the knowledge transfer unit planned within the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso. This innovative initiative will be impactful if the obstacles identified in this study and policy-makers’ preferences and needs are taken into account during its development and implementation.

Crisis in the Eye of the Beholder

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1179-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grigore Pop-Eleches
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Partisan Politics ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
International Environment ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
International Monetary Fund Program

This article analyzes the interaction between economic crises and partisan politics during International Monetary Fund program initiation in Latin America in the 1980s and Eastern Europe in the 1990s. The author argues that economic crises are at least in part in the eye of the beholder, and therefore policy responses reflect the interaction between crisis intensity and the government's partisan interpretation of the crisis, which in turn depends on the nature of the economic crisis and its broader regional and international environment. Using cross-country statistical evidence from the two regions, the article shows that certain types of crises, such as liquidity shortfalls, elicit similar responses across the ideological spectrum and regional contexts. By contrast, debt repayment and domestic crises are more prone to divergent ideological interpretations, but the extent of partisan divergence is context sensitive in that it occurred during the Latin American debt crisis but not in the post-communist transition.

scholarly journals Implementing a ‘pedagogy of interruption’: worth the risk

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-141
Author(s):  
Aleya James
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Government Documents ◽  
Educational Theorist ◽  
General Studies

This paper explores the work of the educational theorist Gert Biesta in a setting outside of the context where it was originally developed. It aims to address how Biesta’s approach can help educators and policy makers question the philosophical underpinnings of education in the UAE and thereby start a conversation that is currently absent in this context. The paper comprises three elements: first, an overview of Biesta’s educational theory is given with a focus on ‘subjectification’ and his self-titled “pedagogy of interruption”. Secondly and in brief, I use Biesta’s framework of educational dimensions to analyse the philosophy underlying education in the United Arab Emirates using published government documents and media sources. Thirdly, I report a small-scale qualitative analysis of a specific educational space, three General Studies Courses in a UAE tertiary institution, to investigate the ‘risky’ possibilities involved in implementing a pedagogy of interruption. I find that despite a dominant policy discourse that discounts subjectification, there are significant opportunities for students to develop a strong sense of self. These opportunities are created by a small but strongly motivated group of teachers and taken up, on the whole enthusiastically, by students. However, my assertions are limited by a number of challenges which warrant further research. This paper hopes to provide a meaningful contribution to the limited discussion regarding the aims and expectations of education in the Middle East, and finds a pertinent philosophical grounding for liberal studies teaching in a tertiary context. As such the paper will be of value both to policy and decision makers in the Middle East and to teachers and trainers who teach in multi-cultural and international contexts.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND JOB PERFORMANCE FROM PSYCHO-SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES: A CONCEPTUAL STUDY ON AL AIN MUNICIPALITY IN UAE

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-255
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdulla Al Jaberi ◽  
Syed Najmuddin Bin Syed Hassan ◽  
Abd Rahman Bin Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Knowledge Loss ◽  
Social Perspectives ◽  
Critical Knowledge ◽  
Al Ain ◽  
Conceptual Study

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge sharing and job performance from psycho-social perspectives on Al Ain Municipality in UAE. Methodology: Since this is a conceptual study, so this paper only focuses on the literature survey and logical explanation based on the facts discussed. Results: The results of this study show that loss of knowledge can result in duplication of work, unreasonable searches for expertise and knowledge, and employees not learning from the experienced. Not all knowledge in the organisations is of critical value, and therefore need not be captured and retained, but the critical knowledge that is at risk of loss should be captured. Implications: The awareness of knowledge loss through staff attrition may motivate companies to institutionalise specific processes to capture the tacit knowledge of their employees as much as possible.  It is advisable for firms to have strategies in place on how to capture and retain their workforce’s knowledge. Novelty: This research contributes significantly on the knowledge management from psycho-social perspectives and from the vantage point of United Arab Emirates. Upon the analysis of the data collected, the research may provide recommendations for the policy makers, academicians, practitioners as well as decision-makers and other stakeholders.

Wooing the new Chinese businesses: five short-term policies to attract direct investment

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bala Ramasamy ◽  
Matthew Yeung
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
International Investment ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Location Factors ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Relationships ◽  
Chinese Companies ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify location factors that Chinese managers look for when making internationalization decisions and how the factors stack up in perceived importance. Over the past ten years, Chinese enterprises have become more multi-national in nature. China’s outward foreign direct investment (FDI) has been growing at a phenomenal rate. In 2012, China became the third largest investor, after the USA and Japan; and the largest investor among developing countries. How can host governments attract more of this Chinese capital? What are some short- to medium-term policies that host governments can initiate to make their respective nations attractive to Chinese companies? Design/methodology/approach The authors consider these questions by using a best-worst choice exercise among 114 senior corporate decision makers of Chinese companies who have or are planning to globalize. We rank 16 most common determinants that influence FDI location choice and evaluate their degree of importance. Findings The authors propose five “low hanging fruits” that policy makers should consider that could ensure their countries come within the radar of Chinese multi-nationals. These include promoting a clean and efficient business environment and strengthening/establishing political and economic relationships with China. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in the methodology of the study that forces respondents to make a trade-off in their decisions, which in a way is closer to reality. The respondents are also actual decision makers in their companies with regards to international investment decisions.

Informal Settlement Upgrading and the Rise of Rental Housing in São Paulo, Brazil

2022 ◽  
pp. 0739456X2110654
Author(s):  
Kristine Stiphany ◽  
Peter M. Ward ◽  
Leticia Palazzi Perez
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Methodological Study ◽  
Urban Informality ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Investments

Rental housing was historically a minimal feature of urban informality. Now it is surging amid municipal attempts to “upgrade” informal settlements in São Paulo, Brazil. Drawing upon a mixed-methodological study of two favelas on São Paulo’s east side, we analyze how cycles of upgrading shape informal rental housing at the urban, community, block, and parcel levels, providing detailed comparative data for 2010–2020. Our findings suggest that rental housing redevelopment can increase precarity in urban living, but is an important source of low-income housing in already built-up and “consolidated” settlements where access is declining. Our study emphasizes the need for scholars, policy makers, and planners to further explore the praxis of informal renting and rental housing, which can be effective conduits for channeling public investments across consolidated informal settlements and into individual dwellings.

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