Alignment of the Portfolio of IT Projects with the IT Governance in Spanish Universities

This research considers a rubric to assess the portfolio implemented in universities and its alignment with the IT governance principles established by ISO/IEC 38500. The rubric considers 16 elements. It estimates the relationship with 21 possible advantages of implementing the portfolio with some of the elements present. And it compares and establishes the level of coincidence with the real benefits perceived by the universities. This rubric has been applied to the public universities of the Spanish university system. It is concluded that a high percentage of the portfolios implemented have a clear strategic focus and are aligned with IT governance.

Implementación de la planificación estratégica para empresas del sector automotriz en la ciudad de Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador: Caso Importadora de Autorepuestos Mendoza

La implementación de herramientas administrativas, tal como la planeación estratégica, permitió establecer directrices para un mayor conocimiento de la situación actual de la empresa, así como también, se identificaron las problemáticas y establecieron las metas a corto y largo plazo. De tal modo, la implementación de las etapas de la planificación estratégica a través de la formulación, implementación y evaluación, establecieron una orientación en cada uno de los puntos importantes de la institución, tales como el desarrollo de políticas de recuperación de cartera, proceso de reposición de inventario y llevar a cabo acciones que determinen el direccionamiento y foco estratégico de la empresa. La implementación de la estrategia a través del mapa estratégico, permitió identificar 11 objetivos multinivel direccionados dentro de la perspectiva financiera, cliente, procesos internos y crecimiento / aprendizaje, seguidamente se evaluó el nivel de cumplimiento de los objetivos implementados mediante el diseño del Balanced Scoredcard de 1er y 2do nivel, con ello dar cumplimiento a la visión general de la empresa. The implementation of administrative tools, such as strategic planning, establishing guidelines for a greater understanding of the current situation of the company, as well as identifying problems and establishing short and long-term goals. In this way, the implementation of the stages of strategic planning through the formulation, implementation and evaluation, established an orientation in each of the important points of the institution, such as the development of portfolio recovery policies, process of inventory replenishment and carry out actions that determine the direction and strategic focus of the company. The implementation of the strategy through the strategic map, found 11 multilevel objectives directed within the financial perspective, customer, internal processes and growth / learning, then the level of fulfillment of the implemented objectives was evaluated through the design of the Balanced Scoredcard of 1st and 2nd level, thereby complying with the general vision of the company.

Evaluation of IDB Lab: Strategic Relevance

This report presents the findings of the first phase of an evaluation of IDB Lab, which until 2018 was known as the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF). The mandate for this independent evaluation stems from the second capital replenishment of the MIF (MIF III), which was approved by MIF Donors in April 2017 and became effective in March 2019. The Agreement Establishing the MIF III lays out the expected functions of the Fund and establishes that, any time after the first anniversary of the MIF III, IDB's Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE) is to conduct an independent evaluation to: i. Review MIF results in light of the purpose and functions of the MIF III Agreement; ii. Assess MIF operations for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, innovation, sustainability, and additionality; iii. Determine to what extent progress has been made on implementing the approved recommendations of OVE's 2013 evaluation of the MIF. Donors requested that OVE deliver an evaluation of IDB Lab in 2021 to inform discussions about the Lab's future and funding model. As a result, OVE included this evaluation in its 2020/2021 work program and developed an Approach Paper (Annex V) issued in October 2020. OVE is conducting the evaluation in two overlapping phases. The first phase, conducted from April 2020 to May 2021, evaluated the relevance of IDB Lab's mandate, strategic focus, and corporate setup. Its findings are presented in this report. A second phase of the evaluation, currently ongoing, evaluates IDB Lab operations. This is OVE's third independent corporate evaluation of the MIF requested by Donors.

Perceptions and Conceptions of “Place” in Australian Public Foundations

This study examines place-based philanthropy in public ancillary funds (PubAFs) in Australia. While PubAFs vary greatly in their purposes, stakeholders, and operating models, place emerges as a strong element of foundations’ perceived identity, strategic focus, and grantmaking. This article advances the understanding of philanthropic giving by investigating and identifying the perceptions of place by PubAF managers and trustees, contributing to a novel and valuable “insiders” perspective on PubAFs. Drawing on Agnew’s three elements of place, namely location, locale, and sense of place, key findings highlight PubAFs’ ties to place in multiple contexts and dimensions. This qualitative study contributes to understandings of the ways in which place shapes and defines giving by public foundations, overlaps and interacts with foundations’ mission and strategy, and affects philanthropic impact.

Europe’s strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific will grow

Significance All three countries are united by the objective to mitigate US-China rivalry by promoting multilateralism and engagement among middle powers, while at the same time using these to contain China’s behaviour and ambitions in the region. Impacts Engaging with like-minded middle powers in the Indo-Pacific will help Europe distance itself from Washington’s tougher policy on China. The Indo-Pacific vision will result in deepening defence partnerships with India, plus Australia and Japan, such as through arms sales. The Indo-Pacific will be an area of potential future collaboration and cooperation between the United Kingdom and EU countries.

Making internationalization of higher education a national strategic focus

PurposeThis paper contributes to knowledge on the internationalization of higher education (HE) through presenting a “lived” experience on how to optimize internationalization outcomes through national internationalization policy development.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a case study of Zimbabwe to qualitatively chart a strategic focus to internationalization through incorporating the theory of change (ToC) approach to national (government) policy development.FindingsThe paper details the context, challenges, rationales, approaches, priorities and processes that guided IHE policy development in Zimbabwe. It underscores the importance of baseline research and benchmarking in propelling an evidence-based and participatory approach to IHE policy development.Research limitations/implicationsThe methodology and framework used here makes it possible to draw comparisons in similar settings in a way that enables a more holistic understanding of the complexities and practicalities of national internationalization policy development.Practical implicationsThe study can assist nations to take a strategic approach to guide institutional internationalization responses. In doing so, researchers and HE stakeholders in similar national contexts can learn valuable lessons from the study.Social implicationsInternationalization is increasingly becoming a policy imperative for HE in pursuit of quality as well as fostering sustainable national development (Craciun, 2018). Higher education institutions (HEIs) are recognized as key drivers of sustainable national and international development through the production of quality graduates with “global competencies.”Originality/valueThe study contributes to the growing research interest on strategic approaches to internationalization targeting specific national experiences.

Research on the influencing factors of family firm innovation

Family business plays an important role in the world’s economic activities, and has made great contributions to the stability and development of the economy of various countries. Innovation is an important but inexplicable part of the strategic focus of family business. Based on the existing literature, this paper discusses the factors that influence the innovation behavior of enterprises from the perspective of family involvement and external environment.

Turkish attacks on Syrian Kurds will help Damascus

Significance This came days after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed that Russia and Syrian government forces could establish positions near Ain Issa, as a counter to increased military pressure from Ankara around the buffer zone it captured in 2019. Growing SDF-Russian tensions earlier in 2020 had given Turkey an opening to revisit earlier territorial objectives. Impacts Abu Dhabi could support the SDF and increasingly reach out to Damascus to check Ankara’s influence. Common fear of Kurdish separatism and discontent with Russia’s hegemony might further encourage rapprochement between Turkey and Iran. As the concurrent conflict in Idlib becomes a zero-sum game, the SDF is less likely to be a bargaining chip for Ankara and Damascus. Tehran’s strategic focus on southern Syria will limit Damascus’s scope to secure the northeast with Iran-backed fighters. The SDF will make further conciliatory gestures towards Arab communities, including prisoner releases and restrained response to criticism.