Management Strategy Evaluation Research Articles

SSMSE: An R package for Management Strategy Evaluation with Stock Synthesis Operating Models

SSMSE: An R package for Management Strategy Evaluation with Stock Synthesis Operating Models

Evaluation of an Innovative Case Management Strategy to Improve Rehabilitation Coverage for People at High Risk of Permanent Work Disability: a Feasibility Study.

Our process evaluation (trial registration: DRKS00022468) monitored the implementation of a multi-component strategy including case management aiming to improve rehabilitation coverage and work participation of people with a high risk of permanent work disability. A risk score using administrative data, particularly on employment and welfare benefits, was employed to identify individuals with higher probability of receiving disability pension and therefore potentially needing support. These individuals were contacted by post and encouraged to phone their regional case manager if they needed assistance. Content for the intervention components was developed collaboratively with the case managers. We examined the sample reached, dose delivered, fidelity, dose received and satisfaction with the intervention. Out of 1074 individuals with high-risk scores were contacted, there were 57 case managements. The participants reached were in poor health, and 42.1% reported at least four diagnosed conditions, mostly musculoskeletal and mental disorders. About two-thirds (63.0%) reported poor work ability at baseline. On average, 72.5% of the content of the initial telephone contacts, 88.7% of the content of the face-to-face interviews and 45.2% of the content of the case management were delivered. The participants were highly satisfied with the various components and content of the intervention. Knowledge about rehabilitation improved significantly, with 43 of the 57 participants (75.4%) applying for rehabilitation, mainly medical rehabilitation. At the end of the case management intervention, most participants (91.7%) were still employed. The risk score offers an opportunity to screen for people with a high risk of permanent work disability. Case management participants found participation worthwhile and were significantly better informed about participation services after completing case management. More than every second participant received medical or vocational rehabilitation.

Strategi Penanganan Permukiman Kumuh Dalam Mendukung Peningkatan Kualitas Lingkungan Hidup Di Kelurahan Karang Anyar Pantai Kota Tarakan

The city of Tarakan is one of the target cities for migrants (urbanists) to live in. The economic limitations of migrant communities and local communities to have decent housing will then trigger the growth of new slum settlements. The aim of the study is to evaluate slum management strategies, identify environmental conditions and reformulate slum management program strategies. The research method uses a qualitative descriptive approach. Research tool with Questionnaire and Laboratory Analysis. The research locus was in 12 RT in the Karang Anyar sub-district, Tarakan City. Communal WWTP wastewater samples, solid waste data, river water and clean water. Data analysis used the Pollution Index, Sanitation Risk Index, Quality Standards and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods. The results of the research on the evaluation of slum management strategies with a score of 18 so that they are still in mild slum conditions. There are four aspects of the performance achievement level with the realization of a very high performance achievement rate of above 90%, one aspect of a high performance achievement level of above 76%, and the environmental road aspect with an achievement level of 54.01% is a low level of realization. Results Identification of environmental conditions at inlets, outlets, bodies of water with parameters COD, TSS, Ammonia, Oil and Grease did not meet quality standards and analysis of Pollution Index (Pi) in Light Polluted conditions. The quality of waste management is based on the Sanitation Risk Index (IRS) score for 12 RTs with an average high-risk area. Clean Water Quality with parameters (Total Coliform and E. Coli) results meet drinking water quality standards. From the results of the AHP analysis, the Infrastructure and Facilities Development Strategy is a top priority. Consistency value of 0.05 or <0.1 comparison matrix is consistent.

Discussion: Evaluation of sediment management strategies for Tarbela reservoir

We are discussing the paper ‘Evaluation of sediment management strategies for Tarbela reservoir’ providing some additional information, based on our studies.

Climate change accelerates ecosystem restoration in the mountain forests of Central Europe

Abstract Restoring degraded forest ecosystems is an important element in the ongoing challenge to sustain the integrity and functioning of the biosphere. However, the evaluation of restoration success is hampered by long lead times of management measures in forests. Moreover, forest change is accelerating also in the absence of management because of ongoing climate change. Yet, because a counterfactual is frequently missing, it remains unclear whether restoration measures are aided or impeded by climate change. Here, we analysed the pace and success of forest restoration under climate change, combining field data and simulation modelling. We focused on the management zone of Berchtesgaden National Park (BGNP), Germany, where restoration aims to restore homogeneous Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests to structurally diverse mixed mountain forests. We evaluated three alternative restoration strategies: Two active strategies focused on planting the currently underrepresented silver fir (Abies alba) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) but differing in the creation of gap‐cuts, and a third passive restoration strategy without interventions. Strategies were simulated with the forest landscape model iLand from 2020 to 2100 under different climate scenarios (historic, RCP 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5). The forests of BGNP developed into structurally diverse and mixed forests under all evaluated management strategies, and differences between active and passive restoration were generally small. While restoration goals for forest structure were largely met by 2100, forest composition remained far from target in all strategies. Climate change aided restoration by significantly increasing the prevalence of silver fir and European beech (+104.2% to +258.6%). Field data on short‐term restoration effects were in line with simulated long‐term trajectories. Synthesis and applications: We here show that forest restoration efforts in Central European mountain forests will likely be accelerated by climate change. Nonetheless, the slow pace of restoration underscores the need for taking action. Our study highlights that active restoration measures such as tree planting can bring the system closer to restoration targets. However, it also demonstrates that passive restoration (no intervention) is a viable option for management, highlighting the need to evaluate restoration measures against the counterfactual of a no intervention strategy.

Management procedure development in RFMOs offer lessons for strategic and impactful stakeholder engagement and collaboration

International and domestic fisheries management bodies are increasingly embracing a management procedure (MP) approach to managing their living marine resources. An added advantage of an MP approach is the opportunity for strategic and impactful engagement and collaboration among resource managers, user groups, civil society and other stakeholder groups in MP development, adoption, and implementation. We consider examples from four regional fisheries bodies (i.e., RFMOs and a multi-lateral body) where stakeholders are contributing to the development of MPs for several stocks to varying degrees. These case studies highlight differing structures and processes for open and transparent stakeholder engagement in management strategy evaluation (MSE) and MP development. We identify that one important difference between sufficient and insufficient stakeholder engagement in these cases is the presence or absence of formalised structures and processes for inclusive and open stakeholder engagement, where there are key roles for stakeholder inputs and feedback during key stages of MSE and MP development. We highlight the benefits of engaging stakeholders from the outset of the MP development process, including designing processes, agreeing on the timelines and workplan for MSE and providing inputs that can lead to the successful adoption of an appropriate MP. We then consider how stakeholder engagement may be improved in other multi-lateral regional fisheries bodies, such as the NEAFC/Northeast Atlantic coastal States management forums, as well as other relevant RFMOs.

WEAP Model Based Evaluation of Future Scenarios and Strategies for Sustainable Water Management in the Chennai Basin, India

Abstract The gap between water supply and demand is increasing in several urban clusters of the world. This study uses the water evaluation and planning model to assess the water supply and demand dynamics in one of the large metropolitan regions of the Chennai hydrological basin. The primary water supply sources, including reservoirs, groundwater, inter-basin transfer, and desalination plants, were integrated into the model to simulate the current and future water demand and supply scenario. Three rainfall scenarios (excess, normal, and deficit) were utilized to assess their impacts on water supply. The study highlights the increase in unmet demand for normal and deficit rainfall scenarios. In response, various mitigation options were explored, including increasing groundwater recharge, reservoir capacity enhancement, water treatment plant expansion, additional storage, and utilization of water stored in rock quarries. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop sustainable water management strategies in the Chennai Basin.

Explicitly incorporating ecosystem-based fisheries management into management strategy evaluation, with a focus on small pelagics

The need to transition from traditional single-species fisheries management approaches towards ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM), or an ecosystem approach to fisheries, is widely recognised. EBFM is particularly important when considering management actions for economically valuable fisheries for small pelagic forage fish, given their key ecological role. Management strategy evaluation (MSE) is an effective approach to advance the quantitative implementation of EBFM by enabling stakeholders to explore trade-offs among competing ecosystem-related objectives. This paper puts forward six different approaches to advance EBFM with MSE explicity, by taking advantage of data and research already available and by guiding future research. These approaches can be grouped into those which (i) involve the operating model and/or link directly to the operating model while potentially providing additional performance metrics to evaluate ecosystem objectives, (ii) can be incorporated into the performance metrics, and (iii) involve the harvest control rule of the management procedure. This review demonstrates that immediate steps can be taken to implement EBFM targeted at quantitative tactical management, even without a complex, data-rich ecosystem operating model.

Application of the Method Evaluation and Risk Assessment Tool for a Small-Scale Grouper Fishery in Indonesia

Management strategy evaluation using the Method Evaluation and Risk Assessment (MERA) platform was used to evaluate management procedures (MPs) for improving the management of the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) fishery in Saleh Bay, Indonesia. This grouper is a valuable species currently under high fishing pressure. It is targeted by small-scale fisheries using a wide range of fishing methods; hence, management recommendations are needed to ensure sustainability. A suite of MPs for data-limited conditions were evaluated for their ability to achieve limit and target biomass reference points (B/BMSY = 0.5 and B/BMSY = 1, respectively), while maintaining a target yield of at least 0.5 MSY. The simulation results suggest that the currently implemented harvest control rules (HCRs) in Saleh Bay (size limit and spatial closure) may not be effective in achieving the management objective to attain the target biomass reference point due to relatively low compliance with the size limit regulation (320 mm total length) and the very small proportion of existing MPA no-take areas (~2.2%). This study recommends that the fisheries management authority explores the feasibility of implementing the total allowable catch (TAC) and seasonal closure in addition to the existing fishing regulations for P. leopardus in Saleh Bay.

Co-management of a high-value species with territorial use rights for fisheries: a spatial bioeconomic approach with environmental variability

Abalone is a high-value resource that is an important export market fishery of Mexico that is managed through territorial use rights for fisheries allocated to a coastal community. A specific age-structured spatial bioeconomic model was applied to this fishery to undertake stock recovery to target levels. The model incorporates uncertainty in the parameter k of a von Bertalanffy growth function with environmental variability. The risk of falling below and exceeding the target and bioeconomic limit reference points of the population with alternative fisheries management strategies was studied using a Monte Carlo analysis. The management strategy evaluation showed that Emin (minimum effort) and EmaxNPV (resource rent maximization effort) generated higher biomass levels and higher present value of resource rent than Emsy (effort in maximum sustainable yield) at the end of the simulation period, regardless of the bioeconomic reference points and assuming a reduction in fishing effort. Emin and EmaxNPV increased and maximized the present value of resource rent generated by the species while avoiding its overexploitation. The social consequences of the management strategies were considered with the participation of fishers of this co-managed fishery.

Models for linking hunter retention and recruitment to regulations and game populations

IntroductionDeclining hunter populations across North America present wildlife management agencies with the prospect of declining revenues for wildlife conservation and management and the need for new tools to evaluate management strategies and predict future status of game species and hunters.MethodsHere we present a modeling framework and potential decision support tool for managers to link future hunter population dynamics to regulatory restrictiveness, prey abundance, and harvest success. Our hunter model is parameterized based on the authors’ judgment and can be used for demonstration purposes. We simulated three scenarios of restricted harvest, moderate harvest and liberal harvest.ResultsOur simulations show that even though liberal harvest predicts higher cumulative license sales revenue, it corresponds with a slight decline in buck abundance over 10 years. In contrast, highly restrictive harvest corresponds with deer population growth, but a near collapse of hunter populations. Our model demonstrates that managers might face tradeoffs between managing for deer population abundance and hunting revenue and clarifies how these factors might affect decision making.DiscussionThe utility of our tool would be dependent on accessing data on hunter retention and recruitment, however, the strength of our paper is in highlighting a new way of thinking about and potentially addressing these potential tradeoffs. Further, these simulations demonstrate that these tools could be used to evaluate management strategies but also highlight uncertainties, establish research priorities, and potentially design an adaptive management framework.

Human Resource Management Strategies in Improving Lecturer Performance in Higher Education

Higher education has a very important role in the development of society and the progress of a country. In the higher education environment, the role of lecturers or teachers is crucial in creating a quality learning experience for students. This study aims to examine how human resource management can play a role in improving lecturer performance in higher education. This research is a literature review that uses a qualitative method approach, which means it will analyse and interpret data by relying on information and text from various sources. The results of the study show that regular and continuous evaluation of human resource management strategies is an important stage in adjusting and improving the approach applied. This allows higher education institutions to continue to grow and ensure that their lecturers have maximum support in an effort to provide quality education and improve the institution's reputation

Closing certain essential fish habitats to fishing could be a win-win for fish stocks and their fisheries – Insights from the western Baltic cod fishery

The management of the western Baltic cod relies on a combination of regulation tools, including a seasonal spawning fishing closure. The complex population dynamics of the stock have nevertheless been posing considerable challenges to design closures, and the actual benefits of the seasonal spawning closure are still unclear. Often, only biological indicators have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of the closure, without considering socio-economic effects on the fishery. In this study, we applied a Species Distribution Model (SDM) integrating commercial fishery and research survey data on a 15-year time series to design multiple alternative spatial closures, all based on identifying persistent essential fish habitats (i.e., nursery, spawning, and feeding grounds). We further used the spatial-explicit Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) tool DISPLACE to contrast the outcomes of these fishing closures, and identify which provided the optimal balance between socio-economic and biological demands and sustainability. Our results indicated that all closures benefitted the fisheries and stock. Although fishermen redirected their fishing effort to some extent to other stocks, increased profits were largely driven by increased cod catches as a consequence of reconstructed stock structure and enhanced spawning biomass. We conclude that the benefits of the closures are more linked to their size, than their actual purpose (i.e., protecting nursery, spawning, or feeding grounds).

Trophic guilds of marine predators in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Quantifying trophic relationships of marine species is fundamental to the construction and performance of ecosystem models, development of effective ecosystem-based fisheries management strategies, and support of trait-based approaches to ecological risk assessment. Accounting for food web dynamics in taxonomically diverse ecosystems, such as the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), is especially challenging because of the sheer number of trophic linkages and their inherent variability. Consequently, analyses that can inform the most appropriate means of aggregating species or other taxonomic groups into assemblages or guilds are critical to reducing system complexity for modeling and management, particularly when data are limited. To provide a methodological approach that is globally applicable in such cases, we define trophic guilds within biogeographic regions of the CCLME, compare results among these regions, and discuss ecological and management implications. Within each biogeographic region, predator guilds were clearly demarcated by foraging habitat (benthic, nearshore pelagic, offshore pelagic), scale of foraging movements, and trophic position. Furthermore, trophic guilds were distinctive for each region, with species composition and the noted ecological characteristics largely driving guild structure. Predator species that are reliant on continental slope and offshore foraging habitat, such as adult Pacific Hake, have diets that are representative of these areas and are similar throughout the CCLME. Generally, larger, more mobile predators that typically feed in deeper offshore waters, including swordfish, sea lions, and sharks clustered together in multiple bioregions along the coast; all reliant primarily on fishes and squids. Throughout bioregions, groundfishes preyed on benthic invertebrates (e.g., decapods, amphipods, polychaetes), while shelf-oriented pelagic predators, including smaller salmon, preyed on pelagic invertebrates (e.g., euphausiids, copepods, gelatinous zooplankton). A large number of forage taxa that are well represented in this study have dynamics largely dependent on oceanographic conditions at a regional scale (e.g., decapods), basin scale (e.g., copepods), or a combination of both (e.g., euphausiids, Northern Anchovy). Such distinctions indicate that spatial and temporal scales of coherence of predators and prey also must be considered in development of ecosystem models and evaluation of management strategies. Our study quantifies the spatial coherence of predator guilds integrated over decades within and across bioregions of the CCLME, providing an improved understanding of regional ecosystem functioning. The analytical approach we developed may be easily extended to address similar ecological and ecosystem based fisheries management priorities in other marine regions.

Static management presents a simple solution to a dynamic fishery and conservation challenge

Dynamic ocean management, which leverages near real-time data to adaptively shift management in response to changing ocean conditions, is gaining attention as an alternative to static approaches for managing dynamic fisheries challenges. While promising, dynamic management can be data-intensive, costly, and difficult to implement, and its value relative to simpler static approaches should be evaluated before being applied, especially when endangered species and economically crucial fisheries are at risk. Here, we use management strategy evaluation to compare static and dynamic management strategies for reducing humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) entanglement risk in the highly lucrative California Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) trap fishery. We find that simple gear reductions outperform dynamic management strategies across several measures of performance. Gear reductions maintain uninterrupted fishing seasons and high fisheries catch and effectively prevent whale entanglement risk by directly reducing the number of vertical trap lines. Furthermore, gear reductions are robust to delayed openings resulting from biotoxin contamination and low meat quality, do not depend on the availability or accuracy of entanglement risk indicators, add no new management costs or enforcement challenges, and avoid biases in geographical equity. Dynamic management strategies, which proactively or reactively respond to indicators of entanglement risk, struggle to achieve their intended benefits because they are implemented after long logistical delays and because they redistribute rather than reduce entanglement risk. Bycatch threatens protected species and valuable fisheries around the world and models like the one developed here present valuable tools for weighing solutions to complex fisheries and conservation challenges.

Intuitive evaluation of contemporary management strategies in thymoma - the largest Indian experience.

The aim was perusal of the treatment strategies, clinical outcomes and factors impacting these outcomes in thymoma. A total of 119 patients diagnosed and treated cases of thymoma, at our hospital, were taken for analysis. Thirty-one patients were excluded due to inadequate medical records. Descriptive statistics were used to report demographic and clinical characteristics. Time period between diagnosis and death was defined as overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis (MVA), using cox regression modelling, was done by including clinicopathological factors in a bid to identify prognostic factors influencing OS. SPSS version 26 was used for statistical analysis. The mean age of the patients was 52.17 years and 39 (44.3%), 19 (21.6%), 17 (1.3%) and 13 (4.8%) patients presented with Masaoka stage II, IV, III and I, respectively. Surgery was done in 64 (72.7%) of the patients as a part of the treatment strategy. Radiotherapy was administered to a total of 57 patients with a median dose of 50.4 Gy. Early Masaoka stage at presentation and use of surgery in the treatment plan were statistically significant prognostic factors for a better overall survival on multivariate analysis. Judicious use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in locally advanced cases may render them resectable. In a bid to gain good survival rates, aggressive multimodality treatment should be offered to the patients.

Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives on Classroom Management Strategies Demonstrated by Mentor Teachers

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of pre-service teachers regarding classroom management strategies employed by practicum instructors in school experience courses. This cross-sectional investigation was conducted with 245 pre-service teachers from various university departments. The study's data was collected via "Classroom Management Strategies Evaluation Scale". The scale had a Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.94. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, the t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used. According to research findings, the gender of pre-service teachers, the gender of practice teachers, and the seniority of practice teachers had no significant impact on their opinions regarding the classroom management strategies used by practice teachers. However, the degree program that pre-service teachers attended and their grade point average had a significant impact on their opinions.

Evaluation of Drug Management and Improvement Strategies Using the Hanlon Method in the Pharmacy Installation of Ki Ageng Selo Wirosari General Hospital, Grobogan Regency, Indonesia

Drug management in the hospital is one of the important hospital management. Its inefficiency can have a negative impact on the hospital, both medically and economically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate drug management at the pharmacy installation of Ki Ageng Selo General Hospital by using efficiency indicators and implementing improvement strategies using the Hanlon method. This study uses a descriptive design for data that is retrospective and concurrent. Data in the form of quantitative and qualitative accompanied by interviews with related parties. All stages of drug management at the Pharmacy Installation of Ki Ageng Selo General Hospital were measured for their level of efficiency using indicators from the Ministry of Health, Permenkes, and WHO, then compared with standards and described based on priority analysis of action plans using the Hanlon method. The results of the study according to the standards were: the suitability of the available drug items with the RS Formulary (92.21%), the frequency of delayed payments (5 times), the percentage of correctness between the drug and the stock card (100%), the level of drug availability (12 months), average time spent serving prescriptions to patients (non-concocted 7.7 minutes, concocted 17 minutes), percentage of prescriptions with generic drugs (84.9%). Stages of drug management that are not in accordance with standards, namely: the percentage of available capital/funds with all the funds needed (202.14%), the percentage of drug procurement funds allocation (20.17%), the percentage of expired drug value (8.1%), the number of drug items per prescription sheet (4.27). Priorities for handling problems are as follows: 1) Monitor drugs for a maximum of 6 months before the ED, 2) Increase the role of KFT in evaluating and coordinating with doctors regarding the use of drugs to avoid polypharmacy, 3) Evaluation is needed every 3 months or 6 months for budget revisions, 4) carry out an evaluation at the end of each year to determine the budget and better coordination between drug managers and hospital fund providers.

Evaluating Atlantic bluefin tuna harvest strategies that use conventional genetic tagging data

An individual tagging model was implemented within the spatial, seasonal, multi-stock, multi-fleet operating models of the peer-reviewed Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) framework for Atlantic bluefin tuna to evaluate the benefits of a harvest strategy that utilizes conventional gene tagging. A multi-year Brownie estimator was developed to test the accuracy and precision of exploitation rate estimates arising from gene tagging programs with various scenarios for spatial release distribution, release numbers and fishery exploitation rates. Harvest strategies that used the Brownie estimator were tested to evaluate yield and resource conservation performance relative to idealized management using perfect information. For the eastern stock, releasing 1,000 fish throughout the Atlantic and genotyping 27% of all landed fish at an estimated cost of US$2M was sufficient to obtain estimates of exploitation rate with a coefficient of variation of 20%. For the western stock, the same precision in exploitation rate estimates required the release of 1,300 fish and genotyping rate of 35% at an estimated cost of US$2.5M. Harvest strategies using the gene tagging data provided expected yield and resource conservation performance that was not substantially lower than a harvest strategy assuming using perfect information regarding vulnerable biomass. Reducing the number of releases most strongly affected the worst-case ‘lower-tail’ outcomes for West area yield and eastern stock biomass. Conventional gene tagging harvest strategies offer a promising basis for calculating management advice for Atlantic bluefin tuna that may be cheaper, simpler, and more robust than the current conventional stock assessment paradigm.

Comprehensive Review of Electric Vehicle Technology and Its Impacts: Detailed Investigation of Charging Infrastructure, Power Management, and Control Techniques

Electric vehicles (EVs) are universally recognized as an incredibly effective method of lowering gas emissions and dependence on oil for transportation. Electricity, rather than more traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel, is used as the main source of energy to recharge the batteries in EVs. Future oil demand should decline as a result of the predicted rise in the number of EVs on the road. The charging infrastructure is considered as a key element of EV technology where the recent research is mostly focused. A strong charging infrastructure that serves both urban and rural areas, especially those with an unstable or nonexistent electrical supply, is essential in promoting the global adoption of EVs. Followed by different EV structures such as fuel-cell- and battery-integrated EVs, the charging infrastructures are thoroughly reviewed in three modes, specifically—off-grid (standalone), grid-connected, and hybrid modes (capable of both standalone and grid-connected operations). It will be interesting for the readers to understand in detail several energy-source-based charging systems and the usage of charging stations for different power levels. Towards the improvement of the lifetime and efficiency of EVs, charging methods and charging stations in integration with microgrid architectures are thoroughly investigated. EVs are a multi-energy system, which requires effective power management and control to optimize energy utilization. This review article also includes an evaluation of several power management and control strategies followed by the impact assessment of EVs on the utility grid. The findings and the future research directions provided in this review article will be extremely beneficial for EV operators and research engineers.