Good Policy Research Articles

Towards value‐based rehabilitation: an analysis of South African policies for people with disabilities

AbstractSouth Africa has progressively established good healthcare policies and actively promotes the rights of people with disabilities. However, as the healthcare sector is moving towards value‐based care to achieve universal health coverage, it remains unclear whether South African rehabilitation policies provide sufficient guidance for delivering value‐based rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. This article attempts to ascertain whether the content of South African rehabilitation policies is aligned with value‐based care. Rehabilitation policies were identified through a literature search (including grey literature) and discussions with stakeholders in the health policy field. A framework for value‐based care was created for deductive policy content analysis. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to describe the content that correlates with the framework's components. The National Rehabilitation Policy and the Framework and Strategy for Disability and Rehabilitation Services were included in this study. Both documents aligned with the value‐based framework, however, various barriers in South Africa challenge value‐based rehabilitation services. We conclude that South Africa's rehabilitation policies can guide value‐based rehabilitation services. However, these policies need to be operationalized and supported by empirical data on disability and rehabilitation services. A concerted effort is required from the government to ensure the allocation of resources for the implementation of policy.

Nigeria’s 4-D Diplomacy and Regional Integration in West Africa: A Peacebuilding Debacle?

Nigeria’s soft power capabilities in Africa largely derive from its historical Afrocentric and good neighborliness foreign policy orientation. In West Africa and beyond, this foreign policy slant was activated to advance the de-colonial and anti-apartheid movements as well as restore political order in several security-beleaguered parts of Africa. Apart from the rigid application of Chapter Two of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance which frowns at power acquired or maintained through unconstitutional means, Nigeria’s Afrocentric and good neighborliness foreign policy posturing has shifted under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The foreign policy shift reflects the global dominance of liberal democracy in the context of the resurgence of military coup d’état in West Africa. Relying on the fundamental assumptions of liberal internationalism, this study unpacked how the shift in Nigeria’s foreign policy stance has affected regional integration in West Africa. The study found that it is not in Nigeria’s national interest to be in open hostility with its proximate neighbors because of its inclination toward the propagation of the ideals of liberal democracy in Africa.

ORIAL: EXCLUSION, VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION

People, communities and nations are confronted with exclusion, vulnerability and adaptation. These are found across space and communities in different shades. They reflect the complexity of human societies and the imperfection of the various forces that define, shape and nurture human interactions. These phenomena are related (Nunes, 2021) and all have both vertical and horizontal dimensions. Their vertical dimension derives from their sectoral attribute in terms of economic, social and even political aspects while the horizontal dimension relates to their spatial manifestation. In addition, both exclusion and vulnerability are associated with similar causal factors of historical experiences (slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, postcolonial economic relations) and marginalising governance system including poor space and settlement governance. Exclusion, often called social exclusion (Sen, 2000) could also be an external effect of seemingly good public policy and action. Exclusion, in simple terms, means that some people, communities and spaces are outside the driving and or the active elements of the society. They lie at the margin (Estivill,2003) of the community driving forces. Marginality undermines capability. Hence, Sen (2000) opines that exclusion can be ‘constitutively a part of capability deprivation as well as instrumentally a cause of diverse capability failures’.

Institution Building without Commitment

We propose a theory of gradualism in the implementation of good policies, suitable for environments featuring time consistency. We downplay the role of the initial period by allowing agents both to wait for future agents to start equilibrium play and to restart the equilibrium by ignoring past history. The allocation gradually transits toward one that weighs both short- and long-term concerns, stopping short of the Ramsey outcome but greatly improving upon Markovian equilibria. We use the theory to account for the slow emergence of both climate policies and the reduction of global tariff rates. (JEL C73, E21, E61, F13, H30)

Analysis of the Influence of Price and Product on Purchasing Decisions Mediated by Brand Image at Maybank Indonesia Finance Lampung Branch

Maybank Indonesia Finance is a financing company operating in Indonesia. In this research, there are various factors that can underlie consumer purchasing decisions. Researchers will focus on price, product and brand image as factors that can encourage consumer purchasing decisions. The existence of these various factors made researchers interested in conducting research entitled "Price and Product Analysis of Purchasing Decisions Mediated by Brand Image at Maybank Indonesia Finance Lampung Branch" as the title of this research. This type of research is causal research because it is research that looks for relationships - effects (causal relationships). The population in this research is all Maybank Indonesia Finance customers. In this research, the samples that will be taken are Maybank Indonesia Finance customers at the Bandar Lampung branch. The minimum sample size is 135 samples. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and analysis was carried out using Linear Regression and Path Analysis. From the research findings, the four variables namely price, product, brand image, and purchase decision, are within the "good" range. This indicates that these factors are perceived positively by Maybank Finance customers in Bandar Lampung. The analysis also shows that there is an influence among these variables, both partially and through mediation, affirming the importance of interrelated relationships among them. Therefore, it is recommended for the company to pay attention to good pricing policies, design products that meet consumer needs, and develop a strong brand image to drive consumer purchase decisions for Maybank Finance Indonesia products.

ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN TOURISM PUBLIC POLICIES IN MOZAMBIQUE

The main aim of this research is to identify the main tourism public policies in Mozambique and to reflect on their role and applicability in reducing poverty in vulnerable communities, essentially to understand how they are implemented and what their level of applicability is. Methodologically, bibliographical and documentary research was applied; this is qualitative research and for data analysis we opted for content analysis to encompass the content presented in the various sources that represent tourism public policies and their role in alleviating poverty and promoting development. The main public policies analyzed were the Tourism Law, Tourism Policy and the Strategic Plan for Tourism Development (1st and 2nd). Regarding the policies consulted, it can be said that Mozambique has good public policies and the main ones adopt tourism as a factor in alleviating poverty and promoting development, but there is little empirical evidence that these objectives are being implemented on a large scale and effectively, as the participatory process and involvement of local communities in their design and implementation leaves something to be desired. There are also questions about the quality of jobs in the sector and their sustainability, given that they are very seasonal and often not legally linked to their employers. keywords: Tourism Public Policies; Poverty Alleviating and Development Promotion; Local Community

Quality of Life of Vietnam People through Education and Health Index

The quality of life of the population is a measure of the sustainable development of the country, in which education and health care play an important role. In Vietnam, education and health care have made important strides in improving people's lives, helping to improve the level of education and public health care. The education system is expanding with many good improvement policies, while the health sector is also developing strongly through strengthening facilities and wider access to health services. However, there are still many challenges, quality disparities between regions and overload in hospitals... The article focuses on studying the current status of education, health care, and its impact on the quality of life of the population.

Health outcome convergence and the roles of public health financing and governance in Africa.

Progress in health outcomes across Africa has been uneven, marked by significant disparities among countries, which not only challenges the global health security but impede progress towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 10 (SDG 3 and SDG 10) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This paper examines the progress of African countries in reducing intra-country health outcome disparities between 2000 and 2019. In other words, the paper investigates the convergence hypothesis in health outcome using a panel data from 40 African countries. Data were sourced from the World Development Indicators, the World Governance Indicators, and the World Health Organization database. Employing a non-linear dynamic factor model, the study focused on three health outcomes: infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, and life expectancy at birth. The findings indicate that while the hypothesis of convergence is not supported for the selected countries, evidence of convergence clubs is observed for the three health outcome variables. The paper further examine the factors contributing to club formation by using the marginal effects of the ordered logit regression model. The findings indicate that the overall impact of the control variables aligns with existing research. Moreover, governance quality and domestic government health expenditure emerge as significant determinants influencing the probability of membership in specific clubs for the child mortality rate models. In the life expectancy model, governance quality significantly drives club formation. The results suggest that there is a need for common health policies for the different convergence clubs, while country-specific policies should be implemented for the divergent countries. For instance, policies and strategies promoting health prioritization in national budget allocation and reallocation should be encouraged within each final club. Efforts to promote good governance policies by emphasizing anti-corruption measures and government effectiveness should also be encouraged. Moreover, there is a need to implement regional monitoring mechanisms to ensure progress in meeting health commitments, while prioritizing urbanization plans in countries with poorer health outcomes to enhance sanitation access.

How “helping” can sustain the stigmatization of homeless people

Summary The article presents findings of an ethnographic study carried out in Poland with homeless people living on the street and in a hostel. Interpretative orientation was used to ensure the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about their perspectives. The paper has two aims. First, it reconstructs the limits and risks of “(un)helpful help” and its impact on experiences of stigma. Second, it addresses how good intentions and policy efforts can have negative consequences, drawing on data from two separate research studies. The first research included seven male homeless people living on city streets. The second was carried out with 20 homeless people served by an agency working for homeless people. A qualitative methodology was employed for this critical ethnography, according to which the authors analyzed the data using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Findings The research revealed a number of support measures which, instead of positively changing their situation from the participants’ points of view, can exacerbate it by further stigmatizing homeless people with support based on helpers’ stigmatizing approaches which can compound homeless people's negative experiences of “help.” Applications An understanding of the mechanisms of structural and systemic stigmatization from the participants’ perspectives can help shift responsibility for their situation away from homeless people themselves toward society's responsibility as a whole. It highlights how there needs to be a change of consciousness and approaches within assistance systems, shifting the balance from an asymmetrical to a symmetrical relationship based on partnership and collaboration.

Impacts of water, energy, and food nexus challenges on household vulnerability: the case of Harare City, Zimbabwe

Abstract Water, energy, and food (WEF) are interwoven, and their scarcity in the face of climate change intensifies household vulnerability (HV), particularly in developing countries. The interlinkage is complex; it makes it difficult to make decisions and requires coordinated and integrated approaches. Policymakers face problems when attempting to identify and implement appropriate policy actions at the nexus of these challenges. This study interrogates the contribution of WEF challenges to HV in Harare to create good policies that can enhance synergies. Data was collected from 314 urban households through questionnaires. In addition, 11 in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted with the Harare Residents’ Association. The stakeholders interviewed included six city council officials, one representative from UNICEF, two from the World Food Program, and two from the Zimbabwe electricity supply authority. Survey data was analysed using both SPSS Statistics and SPSS AMOS software. While SPSS Statistics was used for descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and inferential tests, SPSS Amos was used for construct validation and structural equation modelling (SEM) path analysis. Interviews were recorded, collated, transcribed, and coded through the summative thematic analysis using QSR NVivo v14. SEM was used to test the proposed relationships between WEF challenges and HV. The findings revealed a positive relationship between the WEF constructs and HV among Harare residents. Socioeconomic factors were also found to have a statistically significant effect on the relationship between Climatic Change and HV. Most climate impacts were found to be water-related, meaning, interventions to address water challenges can boost energy and food production. This will enable policymakers to allocate resources for positive results.

Impact of macroeconomic indicators and regime change on debt stress in Zambia.

This paper quantifies the economic impact of regime changes and macroeconomic indicators on debt stress in Zambia using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bounds test. A 1% short run increase in gross domestic products (GDP) increases debt stress by 3.16% and in the subsequent year lowers it by 7.21%; in the long-run the 1% GDP increases lowers debt stress by 22%. In the long-run, a 1% rise in inflation and the lending rate negatively and positively impacted debt stress levels by -1.52% and 3.90%, respectively. Short-run shocks culminated regime change had short-run adverse impact on debt stress by 3.45% in one year and in the subsequent year by -10.35%, with the variables adjusting to long-run equilibrium at a speed of 71.5%. This is the first paper to quantify the empirical effect of macroeconomic indicators and change in Presidents on debt stress, especially in Africa were the problem of the debt trap is perpetuated. The results from the study implies that to deescalate the impact of debt stress on the economy, the electorate should vote in governments that will not fall short on growth driven macroeconomic policies, making it possible for economic sustainability to prevail; and paper seeks to promote good governance and good economic policies as a premise for sustained macroeconomic stability and development.

Effect of Audit Firm Characteristics on Audit Quality of Quoted Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

This study investigates how the characteristics of audit firms are associated with audit quality in deposit money banks situated in Nigeria. The core explanatory variables employed or adopted were audit fees, audit tenure, and audit rotation on audit quality. The study adopted an ex-post factor research design. The population of the study consists of twelve (12) quoted deposit money banks on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) as of 31st December, 2022, and twelve (12) banks were taken as the sample size using census sampling technique. The study period is from 2013 to 2022. The data were collected from the annual reports and accounts of the selected banks. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and the hypotheses were tested using feasible generalized least squares regression analysis. The empirical findings revealed that audit fees and audit rotation have a positive and significant effect on audit quality, while audit tenure has a negative and significant effect on audit quality. On the basis of the findings, the study concludes that audit fees and audit rotation are important ingredients in achieving good audit quality. Establishing rotation programs with auditing should be implemented by all organizations seeking better planned undertakings of tasks regarding finance. The study recommended that banks should make use of standard audit firms like the Big 4 so as to get better audit quality, and there should be a good policy for audit rotation for the banks in order to achieve better audit quality.

New Perspectives on the Good Neighbor Policy

New Perspectives on the Good Neighbor Policy

The Impact of Antibiotic Misuse in Adult Patients: A Review of Contributing Factors, Consequences, and Strategies for Mitigation.

Antibiotic misuse, characterized by inappropriate use, over-prescription, and self-medication, is a severe threat to health in that it increases the rate at which antibiotic-resistant bacteria develop. This paper provides a review of antibiotic misuse concerning adult patients, an outline of factors that perpetuate it, the consequences, and the possible mitigation strategies. We discuss patient-related issues, such as lack of knowledge and non-compliance, problems with healthcare providers in terms of over-subscription and poor training, and system problems like poor stewardship programs and lack of regulatory efforts. In addition, the authors debate the environmental consequences of poor antibiotic stewardship coming from agriculture use and contamination. The consequences of misuse include the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and deleterious drug reactions, but also imply significant costs to the health system. The review calls for increased antibiotic stewardship, improved patient education, the development of new antimicrobial agents, and good policy infection control. This review is essence, a call to multifaceted efforts in the fight against the misuse of antibiotics and stresses that continuous research works are required to change policies. Antibiotic misuse is emerging as a global problem because addressing this problem not only ensures sustainability in the existing antibiotics but also assures that public health is protected.

CURRENT CONDITIONS IN TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN MACEDONIA - SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS, DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

The Republic of North Macedonia, both regionally and globally, is known for producing high-quality aromatic Oriental tobacco. It is a country where quality types of Oriental tobacco are traditionally cultivated, alongside well-known regions in Turkey, such as Izmir and the Aegean region, where there are ecological conditions for producing high-quality Oriental tobacco. As a small continental country in the Balkans, Macedonia represents a "golden triangle" in the process of Oriental tobacco production and a long-term relatively stable traditional producer compared to surrounding countries that also produce this type of tobacco. Driven by the demands of the global market, scientific and technological advancements worldwide, and the available natural, production, and human potentials, it can be stated that today, and even more so in the future, there will be a significant need to elevate the quality of tobacco production to a much higher level, considering the demands of buyers and the need for efficient and effective production. Looking ahead, tobacco production, with certain oscillations, has a stable trend in movements, with gentle upward trends in global production, which our country must also follow and adapt to. The future of tobacco production will largely depend on good agricultural and export policies, as well as good state subsidy policies, all aimed at encouraging and directing the young, capable population towards tobacco production, where they will see not only an opportunity for existence but also space for development, expansion and certainly profit.

Optimization of Human Resources in the Construction Industry at PT. Superior Pusadega

This research discusses efforts to optimize human resources (HR) in the construction industry at PT. Pusadega Superior. Effective HR management is crucial for increasing productivity and reducing risks in construction projects. The main problem identified is how HR optimization strategies influence project performance and job satisfaction. This study offers a new perspective by analyzing a comprehensive approach to HR management in the construction sector, an area that has not been widely explored in previous research. The research employs a qualitative case study method, utilizing qualitative analysis through interviews with project managers and staff, as well as document review related to HR management at PT. Pusadega Superior. The findings reveal that despite having good HR policies, their implementation is often inconsistent, which negatively impacts project performance. The main influencing factors are the quality of training and internal communication. The conclusion of this research is that increasing consistency in the implementation of HR policies and improving training and communication can enhance project performance and job satisfaction. The implication is that PT. Pusadega Superior must invest in better training programs and more effective communication strategies. The key message is that effective HR optimization is critical to the success of construction projects and worker satisfaction.

Dynamic Programming, Neuro-Dynamic Programming, Rollout Method and Model Predictive Control to Optimal Control of a Fermentation Process

This work presents the use of dynamic programming (DP), neuro-dynamic programming (NDP), rollout algorithm (RA) and model predictive control (MPC) for optimal control of batch cultivation of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus var. lactis MC5. DP is a widespread method for solving problems related to optimization and optimal process control. To reduce the “curse of dimensionality”, NDP has been implemented as an alternative. In NDP, a neural network is used to solve the dimensionality problem. A simpler NDP method, called RA, is used to approximate the optimal cost through the cost of a relatively good suboptimal policy, called the baseline policy. RA is a suboptimal method for deterministic and stochastic problems that can be solved by DP. In this paper we also present off-line MPC technique for tracking of constrained fermentation systems and it overcomes the problem by off-line optimizations prior to implementation. MPC is used to provide perturbation feedback and it is developed theoretical on base a controller as an illustration how we can avoid disturbances in the process optimisation. The developed control algorithm-combined NDP and MPC ensures maximum biomass production at the end of the process and feedback during disturbances and process stability and shows that robust stability can be ensured.

The pursuit of ‘good’ Internet policy

AbstractAs our digital society continues to advance, an increasingly diverse array of scholars, policymakers, civic interest groups, companies and regulatory bodies from around the world are seeking to have an increased say in its governance. This diversity makes the challenge of achieving ‘good’ Internet policy more complex and contested. Of course, the notion of 'good Internet policy' raises several important questions: What defines a good Internet policy? Who is it intended for? How can it be achieved and evaluated? Why is it worth pursuing? The papers in this collection explore a number of issues relevant to this pursuit. They include research into deploying digital systems to increase participation in democratic elections and other e‐governance initiatives, navigating the intersection of local norms and global rules, addressing algorithmic discrimination, confronting the role of conspiracy theories in democratic processes, defining responsibility in content moderation, balancing legal certainty with operational flexibility in platform governance and the potential for data justice in AI governance.

Implementation of Evacuation Training in Emergency Situations to Improve Ship Passenger Safety on KMP Jatra 2

The incidence of accidents and occupational diseases is still quite high. Various ship incidents include sinking, collision, fire, aground, people falling overboard, steering damage, and pollution at sea. as well as work accidents during duty on the ship, generally caused by human factors or human error. The purpose of this study is to find out the emergency drills on the ship, based on SOLAS on the KMP Jatra 2 ship and to find out how to handle problems in maximizing job training to each crew member according to SOLAS and SOP regulations. The results of this study found that emergency training on board KMP Jatra 2 is not running properly due to lack of consistency in following the SOP and SOLAS standards that have been set. To deal with this problem, several steps need to be taken, namely good HR policies, implementation of a punishment system for undisciplined crew members, regular training and realistic simulation of emergency situations, continuous supervision and evaluation of training implementation.

Tourist Walking Trails in Italy and Argentina: Navigating Political Recognition and Socio-Territorial Innovation

Tourism is often considered the world’s biggest industry, as it contributes approximately 10% of the global GDP. Despite this economic impact, tourism also includes important critical issues like territorial inequalities, diminishment of local engagement, and has high environmental and cultural impacts. This study investigates the rise of “walking trail tourism”, a niche sector where the respect for local communities and the environmental sustainability are particularly important. The focus is on Italy and Argentina: two countries with very different political, tourism, and biophysical backgrounds, but with the common recent development of walking trails and forms of social innovation. This study explores three main questions: the trends in walking trail tourism, the role of these trails in fostering local social innovation, and the influence of national policies in this domain. The study combines historical-statistical analysis, political–legislative review, and interviews with experts in order to assess all these aspects. Findings reveal significant social innovation trends within walking trail tourism but also challenges in territorial coordination and the establishment of national governance. Italy and Argentina are both characterized by an opposite situation regarding walking trails: there are several local initiatives but a lack of national guidelines in the former, and some good national policies but few bottom-up initiatives in the latter.