Consumer-inclusive economic regulation: water pricing under different regulatory regimes

Water Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Pascual Sanz ◽  
Marco Schouten ◽  
Michael Hantke-Domas
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Negotiation Model ◽  
Regulatory Governance ◽  
Comparative Case Studies ◽  
Regulatory Regimes

This paper investigates whether and how different regulatory regimes for water pricing incorporate mechanisms for consumer inclusion. A literature review suggests that the more separation between policymaking and economic regulation, the higher the incorporation of regulatory governance principles such as transparency, accountability and participation. Our comparative case studies of the system of self-regulation in The Netherlands, the bipartite negotiation model in Spain, and the Scottish model of independent regulation provides additional empirical evidence to this hypothesis.

Regulatory Governance: History, Theories, Strategies, and Challenges

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Levi-Faur ◽  
Yael Kariv-Teitelbaum ◽  
Rotem Medzini
Keyword(s):  
Self Regulation ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Regulatory State ◽  
Private Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Governance ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Civil Regulation ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Democratic Control ◽  
Regulatory Regimes

Regulation, that is, rulemaking, rule monitoring, and rule enforcement, is both a key policy and legal instrument and a pillar of the institutions that demarcate political, social, and economic lives. It is commonly defined as a sustained and focused control mechanism over valuable activities using direct and indirect rules. Most frequently, regulation is associated with the activity of public independent regulatory agencies, designed to promote economic, social, risk-management, integrity, or moral goals. Since the 1990s, more and more states worldwide are establishing such agencies and placing more emphasis on the use of authority, rules, and standard-setting, thus partially displacing earlier emphasis on public ownerships and directly provided services. Alongside this rise of the “regulatory state,” the expansion of regulation is also reflected in the rapidly growing variety of regulatory regimes that involves nonstate actors, such as private regulation, self-regulation, and civil regulation. Regulatory regimes can be explained and assessed from three theoretical perspectives: public-interest theories, private-interest theories, and institutional theories. Each perspective shines a different light on the motivations of the five regulatory actors: rule-makers, rule intermediaries, rule-takers, rule beneficiaries, and citizens. Over the years, diverse regulatory strategies evolved, including: prescriptive strategies that attempt to mandate adherence in precise terms what is required from the rule-takers; performance-based strategies that set in advance only the required outcomes; and process-based strategies that attempt to influence the internal incentives and norms of rule-takers. Although it appears that regulation is here to stay as a keystone of society, it still faces fundamental challenges of effectiveness, democratic control, and fairness.

scholarly journals Signaling Trustworthiness: A Self-Regulation Account

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha P. Lapka ◽  
Franki Y. H. Kung
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Important Predictor ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Positive Trait ◽  
The Social

Trustworthiness is generally considered a positive trait, and past research has investigated different factors that lead a person to be deemed trustworthy. As suggested in recent work, one important predictor and signal of trustworthiness is self-control. In this chapter, we offer a literature review on the social effects of self-control on trustworthiness. We first outline basic models of self-control and review empirical evidence of the interpersonal processes through which perceptions of self-control and trustworthiness are formed and connected. Then, we review evidence to identify and propose implications, both potential upsides and downsides, of self-control induced trustworthiness. We conclude by discussing understudied and novel factors that may potentially influence the associations between self-control and trust, and offer ideas for future directions.

Double, triple or quadruple hits? Exploring the impact of cybercrime on victims in the Netherlands

2021 ◽  
pp. 026975802110106
Author(s):  
Raoul Notté ◽  
E.R. Leukfeldt ◽  
Marijke Malsch
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Victim Blaming ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

This article explores the impact of online crime victimisation. A literature review and 41 interviews – 19 with victims and 22 with experts – were carried out to gain insight into this. The interviews show that most impacts of online offences correspond to the impacts of traditional offline offences. There are also differences with offline crime victimisation. Several forms of impact seem to be specific to victims of online crime: the substantial scale and visibility of victimhood, victimisation that does not stop in time, the interwovenness of online and offline, and victim blaming. Victims suffer from double, triple or even quadruple hits; it is the accumulation of different types of impact, enforced by the limitlessness in time and space, which makes online crime victimisation so extremely invasive. Furthermore, the characteristics of online crime victimisation greatly complicate the fight against and prevention of online crime. Finally, the high prevalence of cybercrime victimisation combined with the severe impact of these crimes seems contradictory with public opinion – and associated moral judgments – on victims. Further research into the dominant public discourse on victimisation and how this affects the functioning of the police and victim support would be valuable.

scholarly journals Considerations, benefits and unintended consequences of banning plastic shopping bags for environmental sustainability: A systematic literature review

2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110039
Author(s):  
Asphat Muposhi ◽  
Mercy Mpinganjira ◽  
Marius Wait
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Policy Option ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Transient Nature ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
Plastic Bag ◽  
Foamed Plastics

Although the ban on plastic bags is gaining in prominence as a policy option to manage plastic bag litter, there are mixed views on its rationale and effectiveness. This study employs a systematic literature review to understand considerations, benefits and unintended consequences of banning plastic bags. The review’s results pointed to the limited success of a plastic bag ban owing to lack of suitable alternatives, limited state capacity to monitor and enforce the ban, thriving black market, structural and instrumental power of the plastic industry. The power of the industry was manifested by the covert practice of deflecting accountability to consumers by focusing on business-oriented solutions, including an inclination towards self-regulation. The findings of this study underscored the need for a global treaty to address the transient nature of plastic bag litter and moving away from the symbolic gesture of targeting only plastic shopping bags but considering the environmental impact of all forms of plastic such as straws, foamed plastics, plastic bottles and caps. There is a general consensus in literature that the end of plastic shopping bags is not nigh due to their utilitarian benefits. This study therefore recommends the promotion of a circular economy focusing on ecological modernisation, sustainable plastic bag manufacturing and recovery strategies such as recycling as a long-term strategy. A significant strand of literature reviewed also recommends the adoption of community-driven approaches such as voluntary initiatives as opposed to a plastic bag ban as they proved to be effective in promoting environmental citizenship behaviours in countries such as Finland.

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