Existing Governance Structures Research Articles

How do food safety technical working groups within a One Health framework work? Experiences from Vietnam and Ethiopia.

Persistent challenges offragmented, food safety management in low- and middle-income countries underscore the need for more robustly coordinated mechanisms. National food safety technical working groups, operating under a One Health framework, offer potential in streamlining coordination efforts to effectively address these challenges. However, more clarity regarding their formation and functioning is important for understanding how to best establish and support such groups. The aim of this study is to systematically document the development process of established groups in Vietnam and Ethiopia. We assess the process used to establish and support the technical working groups against six critical success factors for multisectoral collaboration: drive change, define, design, realise, relate, and capture success. To do so, we review meeting minutes, Terms of Reference, and other related publications. The analysis underscores the importance of financial and technical support by development partners in initiating working groups while also highlighting the challenge posed by the absence of legal frameworks to secure government commitment. Embedding the technical working groups within existing government structures - such as One Health platforms - from the outset could help to ensure the active participation and sustainability of such groups. Both Vietnam and Ethiopia have established operational and institutionalized technical working groups to bolster national food safety efforts under a One Health framework. The approaches employed in these countries could serve as valuable models for others seeking to establish comparable multisectoral collaborative mechanisms to address emerging health risks.

Protivládní extremismus - konspirace a delegitimizace státu s implikací pro Českou republiku

Anti-government extremism in Germany may represent examples of the significant shift and growth of anti-government movements and anti-system activism in the past few years. Conspiracies and insurrections to overthrow a democratically elected government are certainly not new phenomena, but they are uncommon in consolidated Western democracies. The paper tries to convey the manifestations of delegitimization movements of sovereign citizens with an emphasis on the potential of political violence in the context of correlations of conspiracy theories and disinformation and radicalization group mobilization.Selected sovereign citizen movements are introduced based on their motivations, goals, and strategies of resistance to existing government structures.. The evaluation is done with the help of an analytical model of three dimensions of assessing the level of anti-government extremism of sovereign movements: 1. delegitimization of the democratic order, 2. offensive social action, 3. democratic norms within the sovereign movement. Expressions of coercion against public authorities, state institutions and courts in the Czech Republic copy the expressions of foreign sovereign citizen movements, including the terminology and form used.With the development of the anti-systemic scene in recent years, frustrations that have been embedded in society for a long time crystallized, among other things. Among them for example deep-rooted hostility is towards the division of Czechoslovakia among a certain part of the population. It appears a lot in the 40/50+ generation, which, by the way, is becoming the main driver of the anti-systemic discourse.

Different paradigms for dealing with urban water issues, using new technological and governance solutions, learning from Chinese, Indian and European experiences

ABSTRACT Three paradigms to deal with urban water issues are compared. The analysis focuses on their definition and objectives, the role of different stakeholders, the issues they deal with, and the possible solutions suggested. The paradigms differ in scope (from the narrow focus of the sponge city paradigm to the broad goals of eco-city paradigm) and in terms of the governance structures used to coordinate different stakeholders. The smart and sponge paradigms mainly use existing government structures. In the eco-cities approach, the citizens want to be involved through newly created governance structures. Smart and eco-city initiatives emphasize the involvement of stakeholders, while in the sponge cities approach, the initiative is often taken by the local government. Finally, in terms of expected solutions, the paradigms want to create eco- or healthy cities or improve water management to create a more healthy urban environment. After identifying the issue, alternative water-related technologies are available, like generating energy from wastewater or separating grey and brown water. Cities require different governance structures, and managing information flows in an integrated way to solve water and other issues. The experience in Europe, China, and India may help other cities choose the right paradigm.

Chiropractors in Multidisciplinary Teams: Enablers of Colocation Integration in GP-Led Primary Healthcare.

The aim of this study was to explore and document the enablers and barriers of chiropractic care colocation in general practice at a large-scale private primary care centre in Australia. This study focused on the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding this integration. The research setting was a large integrated primary care centre located in an outer metro, low-socioeconomic area in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Participant inclusion criteria included general medical practitioners, practice nurses, and medical managers who self-reported interactions with the physically collocated and integrated chiropractic practice. Data was collected from 22 participants using face-to-face, qualitative, semi-structured interviews with an average duration of 32 min. The data collected included perceptions of chiropractic treatment, enablers to patient referral pathways, and views of the integrated chiropractic care model. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted on the data set. All participants reported that this was their first exposure to the colocation of a chiropractor within a general medical practice. Four key enablers of chiropractic care integration were identified: (1) the practitioner [chiropractor], (2) the organisation [general practice], (3) consumer flow, and (4) the environment [shared spaces and tenant ecosystem]. The chiropractic integration enhanced knowledge sharing and interprofessional trust among healthcare providers. The formal reporting of patient outcomes and understanding of the chiropractor's scope of practice further enabled referrals to the service. Shared administrative and business processes, including patient records, booking systems, and clinical meetings, facilitated relationship development between the chiropractor and referring health providers. Colocation as part of a larger primary care centre created proximity and convenience for health providers in terms of interprofessional communication, and for patients, in terms of access to chiropractic services. Existing governance structures supported communication, professional education, and shared values related to the delivery of patient-centred care. Identified barriers included limited public funding for chiropractic services resulting in reduced access for patients of low-socioeconomic status. Additionally, scepticism or negativity towards the discipline of chiropractic care was identified as an initial barrier to refer patients. In most cases, this view towards the chiropractor was overcome by regular patient reporting of positive treatment outcomes to their GP, the delivery of education sessions by the chiropractor for the health providers, and the development of interprofessional trust between the chiropractor and referring health providers. This study provides preliminary evidence and a conceptual framework of factors influencing the successful integration of chiropractic care within an Australian large primary care centre. The data collected indicated that integration of chiropractic care into a primary care centre serving a low-socioeconomic region can be achieved with a high degree of health provider satisfaction.

A model of senior Indigenous leadership in Australian higher education: An Indigenous academic perspective

PurposeSenior Indigenous leadership positions across the Australian higher education sector has increased over the past decade. Despite this advancement, there is limited understanding in terms of how to best integrate Indigenous leadership into existing governance structures of Australian universities. In 2018 the Walan Mayiny: Indigenous Leadership in Higher Education project commenced, aimed at establishing a model of best practice for the inclusivity of Indigenous leadership in higher education governance structures. This article presents key findings from the project, namely, a model of senior Indigenous leadership within the Australian universities based on the perceptions of a group of Indigenous academics.Design/methodology/approachThrough qualitative semi-structured interviews with Indigenous academic staff, the perceived value, characteristics and challenges of senior Indigenous leadership were examined. The varying opinions held by Indigenous academics in relation to the qualifications and experience required to fulfil a senior Indigenous leadership position were also highlighted. In doing so, a model of senior Indigenous leadership within the Australian higher education system is presented. The model of best practice presented in this article is underpinned by Indigenous Institutional Theory (Coates et al., 2022), a theoretical framework developed from the Walan Mayiny study.FindingsThe research findings highlight the diverse opinions of Indigenous academics in relation to the qualifications and experience required to fulfil a senior Indigenous leadership position. The six essential components are built upon the core characteristics, values and behaviours that senior Indigenous leaders need to have according to Indigenous academics, in order to advance Indigenous success within the academy.Originality/valueGiven Australian universities are being called upon to ensure that senior Indigenous leaders are in the best position possible to forge institutional change, senior Indigenous leaders within the academy may find the contextual Indigenous leadership model beneficial. The model allows one to uphold cultural integrity and fulfil the responsibilities and obligations of their higher education institution, while being able to serve their Indigenous colleagues and communities, leading to the advancement of Indigenous higher education outcomes. Importantly, the model can be adapted to suit all First Nations Peoples globally, who also find themselves working within the shackles of Western institutions.

Effect of Inclusive Early Childhood Development (IECD) on Growth and Development of Children in the Rural Part of the Central India: A Cohort Study.

To compare the difference between the growth and developmental status of the children who were residing in the area where Inclusive Early Childhood Development (IECD) project was being implemented and who had received interventions through trained Anganwadi workers (Frontline workers) under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme with the children who had not received the Inclusive ECD project interventions. It was a mixed method cohort study, nested in an ongoing project in a medical college in which Inclusive ECD was used as an intervention through International Guide for Monitoring Child Development (GMCD) which is a tool for both monitoring and assessment with the help of existing government structures and personnel such as Anganwadi workers, Anganwadi supervisors and their contact points with communities. A sample of 200 children was selected; 100 each from intervention group (IECD cohort) and comparison group (Usual care cohort) and were followed till the child became 2 y of age. IECD intervention showed statistically significant effect on weight (p = 0.04) and height (p = 0.03) of the IECD cohort. Overall developmental assessment showed that the identified developmental issues (Concerns + Delays) were approximately half in IECD cohort (9.67%+5.37%=15.04%) as compared to usual care cohort (17.20%+11.82%=29.02%). The results from binomial logistic regression performed for developmental outcomes were statistically significant (p = 0.04) suggesting that children with IECD intervention have lower odds of developing developmental issues. The study indicates that it is possible to implement IECD interventions through frontline workers, which significantlyimproves the growth and development of the children.

Making frugal innovations inclusive: A gendered approach

When an innovation meets the needs of customers with low purchasing power, typically located in emerging markets, it is considered a frugal innovation (FI). While frugal innovation subserves the development objectives in any country, it could also serve as a tool for enhancing the lives of marginalized sections of any region. Prior research has been sparse in understanding the role of FIs in inclusive development. The current study attempts to explore whether the frugal innovation process has the potential to enhance the empowerment and well-being of marginalized women. It uses the framework proposed by Vossenberg (2018) to examine the contributions of FIs to the empowerment and well-being of women and the role of institutions in mitigating gender inequality. Interviews of 25 marginalized women were conducted in various rural parts of India, which is one of the largest emerging economies and is considered the hotbed of frugal innovations. Using this primary data, we tested the Vossenberg model and have proposed a new outcome “Developing Resilience”, as an extension of the model. In addition to the already existing contribution of frugal innovation to sustainability, our analysis highlights that frugal innovation directly contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 5 related to Gender Equality. The study offers recommendations to industry practitioners and policymakers to make their strategies and policies more gender inclusive. It also makes a case to reconsider market assumptions about women's usage of frugal products as well as re-examine the existing governance structures to make them more encompassing and effective.

Whole systems approach to diet and healthy weight: a longitudinal process evaluation in East Scotland.

Obesity contributes to morbidity and early mortality, affecting people of all ages and sociodemographic backgrounds. Despite attempts to address obesity, efforts to date have only had limited success. Adopting a whole systems approach (WSA) may potentially address obesity and emphasise complex inter-relating factors beyond individual choice. This study aimed to assess implementation of WSA to diet and healthy weight in two council areas of Scotland, longitudinally exploring enablers and barriers. One area followed a Leeds Beckett WSA model (LBM) of implementation, while the other used a hybrid model incorporating existing working systems. To assess the process of implementing a WSA, interviews and focus groups were conducted after initiation and 1 year later. Main enablers included: belief in WSA effectiveness; positive relationships between key personnel; buy-in at community and national levels; funding availability; the working group responsible for coordinating the system development comprising individuals with diverse expertise; good communication; and existing governance structures. Barriers included: insufficient funding; high staff turnover; inadequate training in WSA methodology; engaging all relevant stakeholders and reverting to 'old ways' of non-WSA working. The LBM provided a framework for system setup and generating an action plan. This study provides the first independent longitudinal process evaluation of WSAs that have incorporated Leeds Beckett methodology, and offers insights into how a WSA can be implemented to address diet and healthy weight.

Piercing the veil on the functioning and effectiveness of district health system governance structures: perspectives from a South African province

BackgroundLeadership and governance are critical for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). In South Africa, aspirations for UHC are expressed through the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) system, which underscores the importance of primary health care, delivered through the district health system (DHS). Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine the existence of legislated District Health Councils (DHCs) in Gauteng Province (GP), and the perceptions of council members on the functioning and effectiveness of these structures.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods, cross-sectional study in GP’s five districts. The population of interest was members of existing governance structures who completed an electronic-self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). Using a seven-point Likert scale, the SAQ focuses on members’ perceptions on the functioning and effectiveness of the governance structures. In-depth interviews with the chairpersons of the DHCs and its technical committees complemented the survey. STATA® 13 and thematic analysis were used to analyze the survey data and interviews respectively.ResultsOnly three districts had constituted DHCs. The survey response rate was 73%. The mean score for perceived functioning of the structures was 4.5 (SD = 0.7) and 4.8. (SD = 0.7) for perceived effectiveness. The interviews found that a collaborative district health development approach facilitated governance. In contrast, fraught inter-governmental relations fueled by the complexity of governing across two spheres of government, political differences, and contestations over limited resources constrained DHS governance. Both the survey and interviews identified gaps in accountability to communities.ConclusionIn light of South Africa’s move toward NHI, strengthening DHS governance is imperative. The governance gaps identified need to be addressed to ensure support for the implementation of UHC reforms.

Barriers to and Facilitators of Participation in Health and Social Care Governance: Categories and Cross-Cutting Themes from a Survey of SHAPES Project Partners.

Good governance-aligned with human rights and rights-based care, participation, inclusion, and person-centredness-of digital care systems is integral to their ability to meet their objectives. To gain insight into existing governance structures and processes and participation experiences across Europe and lay foundations for the SHAPES Project's network governance (a healthy and active ageing Innovation Action consortium), our objectives included: 1) expand the list of known stakeholders, 2) explore how the range of stakeholders participate in health and social care governance, 3) develop an inventory of barriers and facilitators. Using an empirical, survey method, we consulted SHAPES Project partner organisations, with respondents invited to suggest specific participation barriers and facilitators. 16 organisations responded. Numerous additional stakeholders were identified. Circa 150 unique barriers and facilitators were reported, rationalised into 20 superordinate categories. Six cross-cutting themes were assembled: dimensionality and flux; power; opportunity and environments; interest, motivation, and choice; valuing governance participation, and duality. This work allows consideration of a wide range of stakeholders for the SHAPES collaborative governance model and future research, and for system design with the benefit of a detailed inventory of barriers and facilitators, and thematic contextualisation. Participation is modifiable and we suggest intervention targets and mechanisms.

Governance in the metropolitan area of Valencia (Spain): an unfinished business

Metropolitan government is still an unfinished business in Spain. An example of this is the metropolitan area of Valencia. The aim of this article is to learn about the process that has led to the current situation of a lack of metropolitan government and to propose actions that will help to make it a reality in the not-too-distant future. To this end, it analyses the history and the current regulations, and it is completed with the opinions and contributions of academics and politicians. The result is that, although there is no political will to include the consolidation of a metropolitan government in Valencia in the current political agenda, it is possible to set in motion initiatives of different types, on the part of local administrations and civil society, which can take advantage of the existing governance structures to advance toward a metropolitan government in the medium term.

Анализ реализации проектного управления в Воронежском регионе

Project management is a component of the modern Russian management system. The project approach involves the identification of the main goals and objectives, the development of program activities and the identification of implementers, the evaluation of the budget opportunities of the executive power. The article analyzes information on the implementation of national projects in the Voronezh Region. The existing governance structure of the authorities demonstrates functional isolation of elements, the presence of cross-functional conflicts and the lack of structured system communication between departments in achieving common goals and sub-optimal decisions. The main priority was application of funds rather than achievement of strategic goals and targets, there was a need for a lot of harmonization among the individual participants in the cross-cutting processes, staffs were not motivated to work on short time, with limited resources, etc. The project approach in the executive branch implies reaching of objectives under resource constraints. It provides cross-cutting integrated planning, monitoring of project deadlines, clear interconnection between decisions, communications. As a result, there is a clear understanding of who to ask and how to ensure that the project team’s work is focused on the result, based on the principle of limited time, focus and resource savings. The method chosen was performance analysis of the project budget. The study showed that the percentage of projects implemented decreased sharply in 2022 compared to 2021. It is only 55.2%. In 2022, the development of budget funds aimed at the implementation of national projects slowed down compared to 2021. In 2021–2022, within the regional projects «International Cooperation and Export», «Labor Productivity and Employment Support», «Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Support for Business Initiative» no object is planned and completed.

A little less conversation: How existing governance can strengthen the future global plastics treaty

Abstract The growing plastic production, the lack of their waste management, and fragmented regulatory responses have increased their abundance in the environment. Plastic pollution has created significant environmental concerns leading to planetary boundary threats. As a result, an increasing number of governments and non-state actors have begun negotiations on a legally binding treaty to cover the full-life-cycle of plastics by 2024. While the negotiations were mandated at the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 in March of 2022, how the new agreement would link to existing governance bodies addressing plastic pollution at the global, regional, national and local levels requires careful consideration. This analysis examines the main multi-level governance structures in place to govern plastics while highlighting their principal roles as well as shortcomings and gaps. It then explores ways a new global agreement could complement existing governance structures without imposing and duplicating the work of previous agreements.

Governance learning from collective actions for just climate adaptation in cities

Environmental policy research fails to integrate procedural and recognitional justice perspectives and collective actions in governance learning for just climate adaptations. Drawing on the insights of two cities experiencing climate impacts differently, Bergen (Norway) and Istanbul (Turkey), this paper assesses how collective actions influence different levels of governments (local to national) to learn from these actions to implement just climate actions in their localities. Using environmental justice (specifically recognition and procedural) and policy learning literature, we contextualize a three-governance learning typology that emerges through collective actions that may trigger governance structures for policy integration: governance learning by resisting, co-opting, and expanding. We identify what kind of learning is introduced to the existing governance structures in Bergen and Istanbul, and how that learning shapes or is shaped by the governance structures, local government in Bergen and local to national governments in Istanbul, while developing climate adaptation policies and actions. Overall, this paper shows what types of knowledge and information are incorporated or ignored after collective actions and how power mediates interactions between actors across multiple urban settings for just climate adaptation.

Integrating sustainability indicators and governance structures via clustering analysis and multicriteria decision making for an urban agriculture network

Environmental, social, and economic sustainability patterns interact in various dimensions of an urban environment. Exacerbated population growth triggers an emphasis on better resource management strategies addressing the balance of supply and demand over food, energy, and water sectors while considering social and economic development. Promoting sustainable development goals requires governance structures and functions within and across the food, energy, and water sectors, specifically due to polycentric urban development. This study emphasizes food security via an urban agriculture network in the greater Miami metropolitan area, encompassing the three counties of Palm-Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade. Given the existing governance structure, we quantified several sustainability indices for clustering analysis to agglomerate urban agricultural sites (UASs) and to help identify the priority of clusters in terms of vulnerability or risk level according to their priority index in multicriteria decision-making. The cases of eight clusters were selected for the visualization of the UASs ranked by multicriteria decision-making based on scenarios prioritized for governance under the impacts of climate change, social equity, and economic development. The role of governance structure was highlighted for signifying the incentive programs to enhance the overall sustainability performance of UASs in an urban food–energy–water nexus.

How Local Mass Protests Influence Corporate Board Composition Change

This paper seeks to examine how and under what conditions firms respond to large-scale street protests that do not target business. Corporate elites are more likely to notice and identify with certain social issues when high-volume street protests occur in their community. In addition, a firm’s governance structure shapes its reaction to such mass mobilizations. Using a dataset of S&P 1500 companies for the period 2017-2020, I examine the effect of Women’s March protests on firms’ appointment of new female directors. Empirical analysis demonstrates that a firm is more likely to appoint new female directors when more people participate in Women’s March activities around its headquarters. This effect is stronger when firms have more incumbent female directors and a lower level of transient ownership, and when male directors leave the boardroom. My findings offer new insights into research on how and under what conditions mass mobilization triggers responses from corporations. In addition, this research contributes to the literature on corporate governance by showing how macro-level sociopolitical contexts influence corporate governance and how existing governance structure influences firms’ responsiveness to the social movement.

Artificial Intelligence Governance For Businesses

ABSTRACT While artificial intelligence (AI) governance is thoroughly discussed on a philosophical, societal, and regulatory level, few works target companies. We address this gap by deriving a conceptual framework from literature. We decompose AI governance into governance of data, machine learning models, and AI systems along the dimensions of who, what, and how “is governed.” This decomposition enables the evolution of existing governance structures. Novel, business-specific aspects include measuring data value and novel AI governance roles.

Responding to climate change around England's coast - The scale of the transformational challenge

Around the world coastal communities face an unprecedented challenge in responding to sea level rise and associated changes. For many responding through incremental adaptation may be appropriate (although not without limits). This may include progressively raising defences, nourishing beaches, and other conventional management measures. Such actions are well supported by existing governance structures and investment vehicles. For others however, continuing to provide protection from flooding may not be technically feasible or financially viable. For these communities, transformational adaptation will be needed (including realignment or relocation). Implementing transformational change, however, is difficult and requires a clarity of long-term planning and a means of supporting communities to take early action in making this transition.This paper explores the scale of the transformational challenge in England through to 2100. The combined influences of relative Sea Level Rise and the local lowering of the foreshore platform due to increased wave-driven surface erosion are considered. The realism of published shoreline policies (set out within England's Shoreline Management Plans) are assessed based on projected changes in flood risk and benefit-cost considerations. The assessment suggests 1,600–1,900 km (∼30%) of England's shoreline currently designated as a ‘Hold-the-Line’ policy is likely to see increasing pressure to realign (assuming a rise in Global Mean Surface Temperature of between 2 and 4 °C by 2100) with implications for ∼120,000–160,000 residential and non-residential properties by the 2050s. It is likely that a proportion of these properties will require relocation. It is not possible to say how many this will be. This will be a matter for government and the associated policy and funding priorities that will influence local outcomes.

The American Urogynecologic Society Action Plan on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Developed by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.

The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) identified diversity, equity, and inclusion as the cornerstone of excellence in governance and operations. Although efforts to increase diversity of our membership have been ongoing for years, there had not previously been an adequate investment to ensure an inclusive climate that emphasizes equity across our volunteers and programs. In June 2020, the AUGS President, Dr Shawn Menefee, and Board of Directors called for a Presidential Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to study the current state of our society and make recommendations for future directions. The charge was intentionally broad. In review of the literature, there was little to inform the best means to proceed aside from administering climate surveys to gauge the current culture of inclusion and bias. The task force believed that the challenge was not only to describe the problem but also to articulate solutions. We ultimately moved to rewrite the Diversity and Inclusion and Code of Conduct Statements and develop an Action Plan that would accelerate the efforts of AUGS to foster inclusion and improve equity through the existing governance structure. In this document, we describe how the task force was organized and conducted the work to develop strategies that were aligned with the AUGS mission: "As the leader in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, AUGS drives excellence in care for women through education, research, advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration."

The complicating role of the private sector in space

ABSTRACT National security in space has long focused on the threat posed by potentially offensive capabilities or behavior of nation-states. However, there is a huge shift in the type of dominant actor in space and this may result in instability, caused by ripple effects disrupting the existing governance structure and demonstrating the slipping rank of Russia as a space superpower. As a result, the fundamental nature of space is changing, and with that change comes disruption as to how the domain has been governed to date. If international governance does not evolve along with the domain, then we run the risk of seeing inadvertent escalations or even conflict between countries as a result.