Resilience at the National Level: Case Studies

Agricultural activity, beyond its primary function, can also shape the landscape, provide environmental benefits such as land conservation, sustainable management of renewable natural resources and preservation of biodiversity, and contribute to the socioeconomic viability of many rural areas (Majkovic et al., 2005). One way of emulating the prevailing EU policy reform trends is also to support and encourage organic farming, which is gaining in importance in Slovene agricultural production. Contemplated as a whole, any sound agricultural reform would entail not only necessary positive shifts in economic efficiency levels concerning the production and processing of food, but should specifically address some key socio-economic issues that are at the core of preserving and maintaining the ecological balances in the Slovene countryside; with biodiversity becoming an increasingly important agricultural policy concern (Ivancic et al., 2003). With respect to terms of multifunctionality, organic agriculture is the highest environmentally valuable agricultural system (Rozman et al., 2007a, 2007), and has strategic importance at national level that goes beyond the interests of agricultural sector. This alternative agricultural paradigm may provide the link between objectives of sustainable resource use and sustainable regional development. The consequences of policies are long term and irreversible. In this light the conceptual methodological approach for evaluation of development policies for organic farming must be developed. Organic agriculture represents a complex system at national level (Shi and Gill, 2005) and different modeling approaches have been described in the literature (farm level, regional level and national level). Also, technologic economic simulation at farm level and multicriteria decision analysis are often used for decision support at farm level (Rozman et al, 2005; Pažek et al, 2006). Boorsma (1990) distinguishes three approaches in modelling the behaviour of the farmer: econometric modelling (based on linear regression equations of a data set); mathematical programming and modelling decision processes based on decision rules. At the national and regional level we often encounter econometric models that can

This article presents a comparative analysis of two country-specific cases. The comparative analysis is situated within the broad domain of the changing knowledge economy landscape for educational policy. The two cases examine the transfer, embedding and enactment of policies during the interactions between supranational, national, institutional and individual levels. Case study one concerns policy transfers and their mediation between the EU and the national levels, drawing from empirical research on the UK. Case study two explores the experience and interpretation of higher education mobility practices from the point of view of individual mobile academics located in, or connected to, the Dutch frameworks of higher education. We employ the concept of space to illuminate the effects on education policy and practice of the changing relationships between the national and inter-, supranational levels of discourse and practice. Our central thesis is that even though EU member states have lost sovereign power over defining education goals and outcomes, hindering dynamics remain. The extent to which policies and discourses from ‘outside’ the national level are integrated and adopted ‘within’ depends on the interaction between education–political discourses with existing institutionalised practices. In the case of the EU education policies we observe a weak form of policy transfer to the national level. In the UK there is a combination of a dense institutional field in education and a Eurosceptic political discourse. In the Dutch case of individual academics, on the other hand, we found a positive discourse around international academic mobility. A moderately adapted set of regulatory frameworks and emerging support structures facilitate to varying degrees the Dutch practice of academic mobility.

Milk processing industry consumes hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) at a great extent. Emission of HFC distresses the food security, water security and the future of healthy living beings. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose strategies to improve the HFC management practices in Sri Lankan milk processing industry. Case study method was involved under qualitative phenomenon. Thus, three case studies were selected based on the HFC handling process. Nine milk processing agencies representing three importers and distributors, three milk processors and three service providers were selected to collect the data. Case analysis technique was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that, lack of institutional and national level procedures, unstable governmental policies, and lack of technology have increased the unhealthy handling of HFC in milk processing industry in Sri Lanka. Initiating a national level mechanism for governing HFC importers and service providers, empowering inventers for creating sustainable applications over HFC use and improving awareness were identified as key strategies to eliminate the identified issues under organisational and national level. Accordingly, a framework was proposed, which provides a platform to investigate the status of HFC handling procedure of milk processing industry in Sri Lanka. Since there is a lack of national level concern on managing HFC use in milk processing industry, having a formal framework at national level to govern both national and institutional level procedures was determined as a vital step forward to be considered.

In order to enforce the concepts of bioeconomy and the circular economy, the use of a bottom-up approach at the national level has been proposed: to start at the level of a small region, encourage its development, considering its specific capacities and resources, rather than applying generalized assumptions at a national or international level. Therefore, this study has been carried out with an aim to develop a methodology for the assessment of small rural areas in the context of the circular economy and bioeconomy, in order to advance the development of these regions in an effective way, using the existing bioresources comprehensively. The methodology is based on the identification of existing and potential bioeconomy flows (land and its use, bioresources, human resources, employment and business), the identification of the strengths of their interaction and compare these with the situation at the regional and national levels in order to identify the specific region’s current situation in the bioeconomy and identify more forward-looking directions for development. Several methods are integrated and interlinked in the methodology – indicator analysis, correlation and regression analysis, and heat map tables. The methodology is approbated on one case study – Aizkraukle region – a small rural region in Latvia. During the research recommendations for the development of the circular economy and bioeconomy for the case study have been elaborated.

Introduction: Polypharmacy and medication adherence in the older population are significant public health issues throughout the European Union (EU), and are critical issues in integrated care. SIMPATHY (Stimulating Innovation Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence in The Elderly) is a consortium of 10 organizations representing 8 EU countries with the goal of stimulating innovation around polypharmacy and adherence, ultimately providing the tools for EU policy makers to adopt new programmes addressing this issue into existing healthcare systems.Methods: A mixed-methods case study was performed to identify and characterize factors that influenced the development and implementation of Swedish policies on the management of polypharmacy in the elderly, specifically regarding medication reconciliation and review activities. Data extraction included a desk review of these policy documents and guidelines at national and regional (Uppsala County) level. To fill knowledge gaps from the desk review, four key informant interviews were conducted, highlighting the employed change management strategies. Interview transcriptions were coded using the Kotter’s Eight Step Change Model and the Normalization Process Theory (NPT). As a validation method, the findings from the desk review and interviews were presented to and discussed by a focus group consisting of six policymakers and clinicians, one of which was a key informant interviewee as well.Results:Both presence and absence of characteristics of change management were identified within all Kotter’s principles and NPT domains. Taking into account the focus group validation, we report the following key findings.Facilitators of change:- availability of data from national prescribing indicators and research showing the urgency to increase the quality of care for the elderly;- awareness of the problem among the public at national level and the political will to fund activities for improvement;- engagement of key individuals within healthcare, university and governmental bodies at regional level leading to a strong collaboration with many different stakeholders;- investment in educational activities, the formation of multi-disciplinary healthcare teams including pharmacists and the possibilities to show positive results at regional level;- use of a pay-for-performance structure based on monthly-updated results from the national prescribing indicators;- availability of shared electronic medical records between hospitals and primary care centres at regional level.Barriers of change:- lack of a common belief that medication reviews are an essential and effective activity;- lack of knowledge and consensus on how and by whom exactly these reviews should be performed;- lack of the integration of specially trained clinicians within healthcare teams;- some physicians possess a certain scepticism towards collaboration with pharmacists;- absence of a strategy to fully implement and evaluate medication review policies at a national level;- absence of a legislative impact analysis.Conclusion: This case study provides valuable insight into _how_ and _why_ medication review policies were developed and implemented in Sweden. These results combined with the other SIMPATHY case studies will be used to create strategy tools for policymakers, researchers, and clinicians throughout Europe as they move to integrate polypharmacy and adherence activities into existing health care systems.Funding: This poster is part of the SIMPATHY project (663082) which has received funding from the European Union’s Health Programme (2014-2020).

BackgroundAs a system of European Reference Networks (ERNs) emerges, the differences in quality of care for patients with rare cancers may increase at national level. We aimed to elucidate the processes and healthcare planning principles through which the reference centres (RCs) for rare cancers are embedded in national health systems.MethodsWe used a multiple case-study design based on the experiences of Czechia, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania and Spain. Using sarcoma as an example of rare cancer, 52 semi-structured interviews were conducted during on-site visits, including a multidisciplinary group of professionals, Ministry of Health professionals, patient representatives and European policymakers.ResultsThe comparative analysis showed substantial heterogeneity in the processes for formalizing RCs’ status and in their levels of integration in the different health systems, but two models (centre-based and the network-based) can be envisaged at national level. RCs for rare cancers were legally established only in France and Spain. Expert clinicians cooperate in a structured way, using network mechanisms, in France and Italy, and these countries, plus Finland and Lithuania, had a referral system to facilitate patients’ access from non-expert centres to RCs. Seven key healthcare planning principles in instituting RCs at the national level were identified.ConclusionsThe conditions governing patient access to treatment centres—whether RCs or not—are decided at the national level. It is advisable to progressively align the European and national levels so that the RCs that participate in the ERNs also play a significant role at the national level.

Expanding the frontiers of nutrition research: new questions, new methods, and new approaches.

As the world increasingly runs up against physical constraints of energy, land, water, and food, there is a growing role for policy to reduce environmental pressures without adversely affecting increases in prosperity. There is therefore a need for policy makers to understand the potential trade-offs and/or synergies between the uses of these different resources, i.e., to encompass the water–energy–food–land nexus for policy and decision making, where it is no longer possible to ignore the limitations in land availability and its links to other natural resources. This paper proposes a modelling approach to help to assess various policies from a nexus perspective. The global macro-econometric model (E3ME) explores a low-carbon transition through different sets of energy and climate policies applied at different spatial scales. The limitations of the E3ME model in assessing nexus interactions are discussed. The paper also argues and offers an explanation for why no single traditional or classic model has the potential to cover all parts of the nexus in a satisfactory way, including feedback loops and interactions between nexus components. Other approaches and methodologies suitable for complexity science modelling (e.g., system dynamics modelling) are proposed, providing a possible means to capture the holistic approach of the nexus in policy-making by including causal and feedback loops to the model components. Based on three case studies in Europe, the paper clarifies the different steps (from policy design towards conceptual model) in modelling the nexus linkages and interactions at the national and regional levels. One case study (The Netherlands) considers national low-carbon transitions at national level. Two other case studies (Latvia and southwest UK) focus on how renewable energy may impact the nexus. A framework is proposed for the generic application of quantitative modelling approaches to assess nexus linkages. The value of the nexus concept for the efficient use of resources is demonstrated, and recommendations for policies supporting the nexus are presented.

Population of all major species of livestock has been constantly increasing over the years with decline in productivity at national and district levels. This study tries to analyse the major constraints affecting livestock population and composition and its derived productivity at household level. In this study 240 households selected randomly from two Village Governments of Ala-Buka district, representing entire two types of agro-pastoral systems, were surveyed by using semi-structured questionnaire. The results showed livestock population increase in both Village Governments in general, with predominance of different livestock species and by physiological state. Income from livestock was main trend in increasing livestock population and changing herd composition, whereas seasonality in forage supply and its shortage were basic trend in decreasing livestock numbers by species and declining productivity of livestock. Forage scarcity was main factor for regulating of herd size and time shortage for hay making and accumulating other forage, was main problem in less forage storage. Forage availability and shortage affect milk yield and lactation curve. The lactation curves were very sensitive in winter and autumn calving in 1-May Village Government and in winter and summer calving in Baltagulov Village Government by natural breeding. It suggests that households in both Village Governments are suffering more from ‘low productivity’ due to higher number of cows calved in winter. Thus, affect total milk yield in the district and national level as cattle are becoming less productive thereby decline in productivity. These problems need to be addressed to involve artificial insemination practices and trainings for improving winter forage quality and support in forage trading at local and national levels.

We investigate the relation between existing fiscal rules and investments in the context of a fiscal crisis in Brazil. We analyze existing fiscal rules at national and subnational levels, their enforcement, and proposed alternatives. Using narrative analysis, case studies, interviews, empirical estimation, and model simulations, we conclude that public investment is not closely related to fiscal rules in Brazil but is mainly determined by fiscal conditions both at national and subnational (state) levels. It is the steady increase of personnel expenditures in real terms that underlies the fiscal deterioration of the last decade, despite the existence of fiscal rules devised to prevent it. We argue that a constitutional rule limiting subnationals personnel expenditures to 50 percent of net revenues, triggering adjustment measures when reaching 47.5 percent, would be an effective instrument for subnational fiscal management, opening fiscal space for increasing investments. At the national level, despite the existence of several fiscal rules, the only effective fiscal anchor is the primary expenditure ceiling introduced in 2016, which has successfully curbed expenditures, including those of the judiciary and legislature.

Spatially explicit assessment of renewable energy resources is critical for large scale landscape planning and design to maintain energy supply so that economic development and social advancement can be sustained. Renewable energy planning at the national level is pivotal to a nation’s socio-economic sustainability in the context of the oil crisis, anthropogenic climate change and the social and economic impacts of globalisation resulting in the international dispersal of energy supply and ownership. Using a case study from Australia, we investigate the annual spatial heterogeneity of solar energy potential across the country towards identifying the strengths and appropriate uses of spatial modelling for regional decision making in energy planning. The case study explores solar radiation distribution in Australia and its potential to supply energy at national, utility and household levels. This study demonstrates the usefulness for integrating these models in the design and planning process for carbon-neutral energy supply. It is also clear that the adoption of spatial modelling systems for solar supply also requires modelling of the political and social opportunities and limitations inherent in the solar landscape. This research advocates a holistic approach enabled by spatial planning through geodesign principles. We conclude with recommendations and guidance for future renewable energy planning as a useful practice for carbon emission reduction to climate change mitigation.

Lowland Farmland Birds III: Delivering Solutions in an Uncertain World. A report on the BOU’s Annual Conference held at the University of Leicester, 31 March–2 April 2009

Schröder M. and Voelzkow H. Varieties of regulation: how to combine sectoral, regional and national levels, Regional Studies. Research on economic governance is contradictory. Varieties-of-capitalism scholars argue for national differences between liberal and coordinated market economies. Others argue that economic sectors come with distinct modes of governance. A third research strand explains the economic governance of companies through the regional system of innovation and production in which they are embedded. Problematically, this current state leaves the question open about how national, sectoral and regional economic governance interact. Using case studies from three research projects, this paper shows how the national, sectoral and regional level of economic governance can be combined by advancing the argument that incoherent institutions can be complementary

The case studies in this chapter focus on participatory-consultative processes relating to the social dimension of sustainable development. They describe a variety of global multilevel, multistakeholder, transdisciplinary dialogues that are crucial for making development more sustainable (see Sections 1.2.4 and 2.1.3). Within the conventional categories of government, business and civil society, epistemic communities of experts and practitioners could play a key catalytic role in cross-linking and stimulating pluralistic participation (Munasinghe, 2001b, 2004c; Sneddon, Howarth and Norgaard, 2006). The involvement of young people is also important (Focus the Nation, 2007). Section 6.1 describes how climate change and sustainable development (see Chapter 5) are handled in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) writing process. The case study examines how this unique international dialogue among thousands of scientists is transcending barriers of discipline, space, time, stakeholder viewpoints and operationality, in addressing complex, interlinked, large-scale, long-run issues. In the second case study, Sections 6.2 and 6.3 explore two-way linkages between two other complex global initiatives – the millennium development goals (MDGs) and millennium ecosystem assessment (MA) findings. The Action Impact Matrix (AIM), a key sustainomics tool, is used to explore linkages between the two at both national and global levels. Finally, in Sections 6.4 to 6.6, we examine how a uniquely successful multistakeholder, multilevel process has been organized by the UNEP Dams and Development Programme (DDP), as a follow-up to the World Commission on Dams (WCD). It deals with key water resource issues at the international, regional and national levels (see Chapter 12).

The purpose of the research is to understand formulation of policy for creative industries, and in particular the importance of quantitative and qualitative data or information for formulation of the first policies for creative industries at national and regional level. The goal of the research is to assess whether it is possible to draft useful policy for the creative industry without having specific quantitative data at its disposal, which is often the case when such policy is being newly developed. The methodology used is a brief literature review, and a case study. The case study regards policy development for the architectural sector in the East-Slovak region of Košice, which was executed by the authors in the context of the assignment to draft a strategy for development of the creative economy of the Košice region. Statistical data presented in this research were generated in the context of that assignment.The authors found that in the case of Slovakia and the region of Košice, the availability of data on the creative industries as a new policy area is very limited. Both at national level and at regional level, qualitative data and information are most useful for formulating policy. This is possible among others because qualitative needs’ assessment is feasible; international literature and best practices provide a guideline for formulating policy; and because general policies can address specific requirements through demand driven projects. The implication of the research is that specific quantitative data on the creative industries does not need to be considered a conditio sine qua non for drafting and implementing policy for the creative industries. Quantitative data will be necessary for evaluating outputs and impact of policy, in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of public spending. The choice of indicators, and collecting, processing and interpreting of quantitative data shall be an integral part of the policy to be implemented.