Need For Greater Coordination Research Articles

Transitioning to Intellectual Property: How Can the WTO Integrate Least-Developed Countries into TRIPS?

Despite the looming expiration of the extended transition period under Article 66.1 of the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 1 July 2013, most least-developed countries (LDCs) have not made significant progress in implementing the TRIPS Agreement. WTO Members have accepted this reality and are currently considering another extension of the transition period. In the coming months, the discussions in the TRIPS Council on how to meaningfully integrate the poorest countries into the international system for the protection of intellectual property will intensify. This working paper seeks to assist these discussions by first providing a comprehensive legal analysis of the various rights and obligations for LDCs, developed country Members and international organizations under the transitional arrangements in the TRIPS Agreement, subsequent WTO legislation and in particular the TRIPS Council Decision of 2005. Next, the authors identify several major shortcomings in the priority needs assessment process as set out in the TRIPS Council Decision of 2005 and argue that there is a strong need for greater coordination on the national and multilateral level in order to unlock increased technical and financial assistance for LDCs. The working paper then concludes that an unconditional second extension of the transition period would be detrimental to LDC’s implementation of TRIPS and might also undermine the credibility of the entire multilateral IP regime. Instead, the authors propose a variety of alternative avenues to more successfully integrate LDCs into the international IP system.

SPATIAL DATA AWARENESS AND COORDINATION OF THE PREREQUISITES FOR LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.

Land is man's most valuable resource. It has to be properly managed if optimum benefit is to be reaped from it for an ever increasing population. Increasing population creates a varied demand on land use which cannot be addressed by a single agency but becomes the responsibility of several different agencies. Each of these agencies cannot take decisions in a vacuum and should be able to assess the impact of their decisions on the others. Use of spatial data enables one just to do that.Spatial data is information related to any location in the real world. Information in a spatial format enables one to understand the interaction of things in their spatial relationships which is just what is required in land resources management. However, not many planners use spatial data in their decision making for reasons discussed in this paper.Acquisition of spatial data is a time consuming, exacting and an expensive process. Hence there is great need for coordination of efforts in the collection of spatial data.This paper discusses what spatial data is available for land resources management, how it can be used for the sustainable development of land resources and the advancements in technology that is helping to better manage our land resources.

Coordination in food security crises: a stakeholder analysis of the challenges facing the global food security cluster

In mid 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) formally launched the global Food Security Cluster (FSC) as the UN’s global mechanism for coordinating food security responses in emergencies worldwide. The need for greater coordination of food security response in emergencies is enormous: Not only is the number of actors growing ever larger, the operating environment is more complex, and the range of responses requires substantially greater levels of skill than ever in analysis, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Will this new mechanism provide the leadership needed for complex, multi-dimensional responses needed to protect food security and livelihoods in disasters? What are the special challenges the cluster faces? This paper analyzes a series of country level case studies and key informant interviews with stakeholders in a range of roles to address these questions.

Medical transport of children with complex chronic conditions.

One of the most notable trends in child health has been the increase in the number of children with special health care needs, including those with complex chronic conditions. Care of these children accounts for a growing fraction of health care resources. We examine recent developments in health care, especially with regard to medical transport and prehospital care, that have emerged to adapt to this remarkable demographic trend. One such development is the focus on care coordination, including the dissemination of the patient-centered medical home concept. In the prehospital setting, the need for greater coordination has catalyzed the development of the emergency information form. Training programs for prehospital providers now incorporate specific modules for children with complex conditions. Another notable trend is the shift to a family-centered model of care. We explore efforts toward regionalization of care, including the development of specialized pediatric transport teams, and conclude with recommendations for a research agenda.

Family Member With Chemical Dependence and Consequent Overburden Suffered by Family: Descriptive Research

Problem: Health professionals should offer support to the family of the chemically dependent due to the overhead incurred in this process. Objective: The objective was to analyze the difficulties faced by the family in the treatment of the chemically dependent family member. Method: A qualitative descriptive study. We used a semi-structured interview using a script, and in the treatment of data, content analysis. The study included 05 families in a public psychiatric hospital located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 2007. Results: families reported as difficulties the abandonment of treatment and relapse for the patient, emotional overload and the non-referral to services outside the hospital by the health team. Conclusion: We conclude that there is need for greater coordination of services for primary and secondary care in mental health, to minimize the difficulties faced by the family. The family that takes care a chemical dependent has a social role that is important and indispensable to the consolidation of the psychiatric reform in the country.Descriptors: Health Sciences; Mental Health; Nursing; Commnunity Heath Nursing; Psychiatric Nursing.Received: 07/21/2011 Approved: 12/27/2011

Follow-up care after breast cancer treatment: experiences and perceptions of service provision and provider interactions in rural Australian women

This study aims to explore and examine experiences and perceptions of follow-up care (medical and psychosocial) after active treatment for breast cancer among women living outside major Australian cities. Twenty-five semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Participants also completed a brief questionnaire to collect demographic, diagnosis, and treatment information. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, independently coded, and then thematically analysed. Themes that emerged from the interviews centred on patient experiences and perceptions of follow-up service provision and provider interactions related to medical, psychosocial, and lifestyle (e.g., diet, physical activity) care. Many women perceived a marked decline in the quality and duration of follow-up consultations with clinicians in comparison to their initial treatment experiences. Several women experienced considerable overlap in follow-up care when multiple providers were involved resulting in 'unnecessary' time and travel costs. Generally, women experienced limited availability of medical providers in rural areas, resulting in a lack of continuity in care, exacerbated by limited communication and coordination between treating health professionals. Lastly, women perceived a lack of available psychosocial support and resources for rural breast cancer survivors in their areas. Breast cancer survivors living outside major Australian cities have limited access to medical follow-up care, and psychosocial and lifestyle support programmes. There is a need for greater co-ordination of care between health professionals to improve communication and reduce patient and medical system burden. Finding solutions (such as eHealth options) could help to alleviate these barriers and improve follow-up care for rural breast cancer survivors.

Institutional and Policy Analysis of River Basin Management: The Brantas River Basin, East Java, Indonesia

The authors describe and analyze an unconventional approach to river basin management in a developing country undergoing rapid economic, political, and institutional change. The founding of the Brantas River Basin Management Corporation (Perum Jasa Tirta I - PJT 1), a national state-owned company for river basin management, initiated an emphasis on river basin management to operate and maintain existing infrastructure, plan and implement the allocation of water, and address problems that affect basin-level water resources. The Brantas River basin is located within the province of East Java in Indonesia. It has an area of approximately 11,800 square kilometers and makes up 25 percent of East Java's land area. The basin's population, which amounts to nearly 15 million, has increased by 53.4 percent over the past 30 years and represents 42.4 percent of East Java's population with a density of 1,249 per square kilometer. A shift has taken place in Indonesia since the mid-1990s from emphasizing infrastructure development to strengthening institutional aspects (hydrology, flood fighting, flood warning, flood management, and so on). The institutional arrangement for water resources management in the Brantas basin through a state-owned corporation is an interesting model. PJT I has achieved results in implementing a reasonably good system of water allocation and management and a reliable flood forecasting system, as well as maintaining major infrastructure in fairly good condition. Managing water quality, catchment conditions, and the river environment, however, are the responsibility of many entities, and there is need for greater coordination and authority to address these issues.

Obligations, Ambitions, Calculations: Migrant Care Workers' Negotiation of Work, Career, and Family Responsibilities

This article highlights the need in migrant research for a holistic approach that addresses migrants' reconciliation of work and care in the context of their evolving employment, career, and family circumstances. With a focus on these three central spheres of migrants' lives, in an Irish context, it demonstrates the complexities of female migrant care workers' transnational obligations, which together with immigration status and limited opportunities in their home and host countries serve to curtail career aspirations. The article considers how future ambitions are dependent on changing family circumstances and employment prospects in the “receiving” or “sending” country and argues that the inter-connectedness of these circumstances points to the need for greater co-ordination of migration, labor market, and care policies.

Nursing shaping and influencing health and social care policy

This paper seeks to consider how nursing as a profession in the United Kingdom is developing its role in shaping and influencing policy using lessons learnt from a policy study tour undertaken in the United States of America and extensive experience as a senior nurse within the government, the health service and more recently within a Professional Organization. The nursing profession faces major changes in health and health care and nurses need to be visible in the public debate about future models of health and health care. This paper critically reviews recent UK and USA literature and policy with relevance to nursing. Strategies that support nurses and nursing to influence policy are in place but more needs to be done to address all levels of nursing in order to find creative solutions that promote and increase the participation of nurses in the political process and health policy. There are lessons to be learnt in the UK from the US nursing experience. These need to be considered in the context of the UK and devolution. Although much has been achieved in positioning nurses and nursing as an influencer in the arena of policy and political decision-making, there is a need for greater co-ordination of action to ensure that nursing is actively supported in influencing and shaping health and health care policy. All leaders and other stakeholders require to play their part in considering how the actions set out in this article can be taken forward and how gaps such as education, fellowship experience and media engagement can be addressed in the future.

From strategy to implementation - clinical and academic perspectives

From strategy to implementation - clinical and academic perspectives

Local groundwater management studies in Ontario, Canada: A case for retaining a role for the state in community-based water research

Between 1998 and 2003, the provincial government in Ontario, Canada, administered a funding program to support groundwater management studies by local communities. The community focus of the initiative in many ways represents a more collaborative approach to generating the knowledge needed to inform local resource management decisions. The process and outcomes of the study program are assessed based on follow-up interviews with local study participants. We conclude that although the benefits of community-based research are apparent in many of the local study areas (eg. incorporation of local knowledge and values, and heightened community awareness of the need for groundwater protection), a lack of coordination among individual studies has resulted in the production of groundwater information that is incompatible across adjacent study areas and inadequate to support management measures at broader scales (eg. watershed). This outcome suggests the need for greater coordination within community-based water research initiatives where the results and subsequent management actions have potential implications beyond the immediate study boundaries. Thus, our analysis confirms a fundamental challenge of community-based research initiatives, and of decentralised governance approaches more generally - balancing the need for regional uniformity with the desire for greater local autonomy. Strategies for more effectively coordinating community-based water research are considered. While the analysis focuses on groundwater management and experiences in Ontario, the lessons learned are more broadly transferable.

A Política Municipal de Inclusão de Crianças com Deficiência na Educação Infantil no Município de Dourados, MS.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo conhecer a formulação de políticas públicas de educação especial e o seu impacto sobre a prática educativa para a inclusão de crianças com deficiência nos Centros de Educação infantil do Município de Dourados, Ms. Para tanto, buscou-se confrontar os documentos nacionais e locais, as leis,Diretrizes e resoluções para a implementação da educação inclusiva. Utilizou-se da entrevista semi-estruturada com gestores da política central e escolar para compreender a cultura institucional e, a percepção dos gestores sobre as políticas públicas de educação inclusiva; conhecer como as diretrizes, normas, programas e projetos políticos pedagógicos são elaborados; quais as representações sociais, fundamentos e práticas utilizadas na elaboração e implementação da política de inclusão. Essas análises permitiram apontar alguns caminhos para a inclusão: a necessidade de maior articulação entre os diferentes níveis de gestão educacional; efetivação do atendimento educacional especializado em turno contrário ao escolar; o apoio pedagógico especializado deve se efetivar com o trabalho articulado entre a equipe de educação especialensino regular e, não com a retirada da criança da sala de aula para estimulação paralela; incentivar a participação de professores e pais na elaboração do projeto político pedagógico e nas tomadas de decisões sobre a modificação da escola.

Społeczności lokalne w działaniach na rzecz ochrony środowiska i zrównoważonego rozwoju

The results of the surveys and interviews carried out in the communes of Pomeranian district indicate a great need for coordination of educational actions directed not only for schools, but also for the local communities, there is a necessity for the communes to formulate a programme of environmental education for society that include local circumstances, the level of both knowlegde and awareness of society in the field of environmental protection, biodiversity and sustainable development are still unsufficient and apart from the scholl, they also require the activities of the family and local institutions.

Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy: Why Democracies Fail

Abstract: Based on a new data set of democratizations occurring between 1960 and 2004, this paper explores the reasons for reversals in young democracies. Adverse initial conditions including poverty, inequality, and ethnic fragmentation are associated with the failure of democracy, but the relationship is not deterministic. Likewise, numerous young democracies have survived in spite of disastrous economic performance. Political institutions play a key role in preventing a return to authoritarianism, but the effectiveness of constraints on executive power appears more important than whether the regime is parliamentary or presidential in structure. These findings suggest a need for greater coordination between democracy promotion assistance and aid intended to foster economic development.

Distribution strategies for volume and premium brands in highly competitive consumer markets

This article deals with distribution strategies for volume and premium brands in the automobile industry. Like some other consumer markets, the car market has become subject to substantial overcapacity in the last decade and subject to a pressure to keep costs low, while at the same time manufacturers emphasize immaterial values and attempt to strengthen the brand to get an advantage over competitors. A number of theoretical themes are related to extensive case studies carried out in Sweden, the UK, Germany, Spain and Australia. One hundred and nine interviews were carried out with manufacturers, importers, dealers and industry experts. Theories used in the study emerge from two research traditions. First, perspectives on corporate identity and brand management are applied to distribution channels. Second, theories on channel structure, i.e. the choice of selling through one channel or dual-multi-distribution; solus- and multi-franchising; and channel ownership, i.e. direct and indirect channels are applied. Theories are woven together in a concluding analysis of distribution strategies for volume and premium brands. Some conclusions on the brand's influence on distribution strategies emerge in the study. The findings suggest that while distribution activities may be shared among channel members in a channel selling volume brands, there is a great need for coordination in channels selling premium brands to secure premium values that reflect the brand's raison d’ être and justify its price premium. Anchorage in the local market is crucial for motivating the volume brand dealer, and also critical for volume dealers to stay viable and competitive. Identification with the local dealer appears to be crucial in designing distribution strategies for volume brands. A premium brand is less related to the local market: Rather, its competitive advantage is based on strong brand identification and the consumer is likely to be attracted by the image of the premium brand than by the local dealer. Creating a consistent brand experience is thus decisive for premium brands whose content to a great extent is global and goes beyond the influence of local dealers and cultures. Moreover, an understanding of the brand is suggested to be indispensable in analysing push–pull mechanisms. While pull systems are associated with higher channel efficiency, the study suggests that pull systems are unlikely to work for volume brands: high manufacturing overcapacity is beyond the influence of individual manufacturers, thus industry overcapacity forces volume brand manufacturers to push cars to the market. Premium brands, with demand in reasonable balance with supply, may restrict the use of push systems without losing sales volume.

Weed economic thresholds : Useful agronomic tool or pipe dream?

Interest in more rational and objective approaches to weed management has increased considerably in Canada and elsewhere. Cost/benefit issues, environmental concerns, and the development of weed resistance to herbicides have cast doubt on the rationality and sustainability of prophylactic herbicide use. The concept of an economic threshold for weeds and the broader concept of integrated weed management have considerable potential as practical agronomic tools in Canadian crop production Systems. A large number of experiments have been conducted to determine the impact of weeds on crop yield, but the models developed from these studies have been put to little practical use. Constraints to the practical implementation of these concepts include a lack of realistic sampling procedures to assess the impact of weeds on crops over large areas, and a lack of information on the long-term implications of seed production by uncontrolled weeds. Weed ecologists conducting weed interference experiments should define their objectives better, and should provide guidelines on how their findings can be used at the farm level. Emphasis should be placed on the effects of the crop on the weed rather than the weed on the crop. There is also a need for greater coordination of research activities among weed ecologists. The establishment of standard protocols for long-term studies across locations and years would enhance the relevance and precision of weed interference models, and lead to the development of user- friendly decision support Systems specifically adapted to aiding rational weed management decisions in Canadian crop production Systems. The development of such Systems will be essential to the implementation of weed thresholds and integrated weed management.

Prevalence of DSM-IV Disorders and Attendant Help-Seeking in 2 American Indian Reservation Populations

The American Indian Service Utilization, Psychiatric Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors Project (AI-SUPERPFP) estimated the mental health burden and associated help-seeking in select American Indian reservation communities. To determine the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of common DSM-IV disorders, their demographic correlates, and patterns of help-seeking in 2 culturally distinct American Indian reservation communities in the Southwest and Northern Plains. Completed between 1997 and 2000, a cross-sectional probability sample survey. General community. Three thousand eighty-four (Southwest = 1446 and Northern Plains = 1638) members, aged 15-54 years, of 2 tribal groups living on or near their home reservations were randomly sampled from the tribal rolls. Response rates were 73.7% and 76.8% for the Southwest and Northern Plains tribes, respectively.Main Outcomes Measures The AI-SUPERPFP Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a culturally adapted version of the University of Michigan version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, to assess DSM-IV diagnoses and help-seeking. Overall lifetime prevalence of AI-SUPERPFP DSM-IV disorders ranged from 35.7% for Southwest women to near 50% for both groups of men. Alcohol abuse and dependence were the most common disorders for men, with posttraumatic stress disorder most prevalent for women. Many of those with lifetime alcohol problems or posttraumatic stress disorder no longer met criteria for 12-month diagnoses. Significant levels of comorbidity were found between those with depressive and/or anxiety and substance disorders. Demographic correlates other than tribe, sex, and age were generally unrelated to disorder status. A majority of participants with lifetime disorders had sought help from mental health professionals, other medical personnel, or culturally traditional sources. Alcohol disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder were more common in these American Indian populations than in other populations using comparable methods. Substantial comorbidity between depressive and/or anxiety and substance disorders suggests the need for greater coordination of treatment for comorbid disorders.

The laboratory diagnosis of hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects approximately 250,000 Canadians and 350 million people worldwide. Without intervention, approximately 15% to 40% of chronically infected individuals will eventually develop cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma, or require liver transplantation. The availability and extensive use of the HBV vaccine has dramatically reduced the number of incident infections in Canada and worldwide. Effective therapeutic agents have been and continue to be developed to treat chronic infection. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of diagnostic tests for HBV infection and immunity, and elaborates on HBV risk factors, vaccine prevention and therapeutic monitoring. HBV diagnosis is accomplished by testing for a series of serological markers of HBV and by additional testing to exclude alternative etiological agents such as hepatitis A and C viruses. Serological tests are used to distinguish acute, self-limited infections from chronic HBV infections and to monitor vaccine-induced immunity. Nucleic acid testing for HBV-DNA is increasingly being used to quantify HBV viral load and measure the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Given the multitude of available tests and the complexity of clinical management, there is a critical need for greater coordination among clinicians, diagnostic laboratory personnel and researchers to define optimal laboratory diagnostic and monitoring assays so that the appropriate tests are used to maximize prevention and optimize treatment outcomes.

C2. JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY PLANNING INSTITUTE, ““THE JEWISH PEOPLE 2004: BETWEEN THRIVING AND DECLINE,”” JERUSALEM, JULY 2004 (EXCERPTS).

The fifty-six-page report, a summary of a book by the same name, presents the findings of ““a systematic assessment of the current state of world Jewish affairs”” carried out by a team of seventeen experts headed by Professor Sergio DellaPergola of Hebrew University. The study was commissioned by the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (JPPPI), a think tank established in February 2002 by the Jewish Agency for Israel; former U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross is the chairman of the JPPPI's board. According to the Jewish weekly Forward (30 July), the report was presented to Prime Minister Sharon and his cabinet on 27 June and debated there, with the prime minister promising to set up a task force to implement its recommendations. A recurring theme throughout the report is the need for greater coordination among Diaspora groups as well as between Israel and the Diaspora, with more weight given to the latter in Israeli policy formation. The report is divided into three sections: a comprehensive evaluation of internal and external trends affecting the Jewish people in the present and near future; a survey of Jewish communities on a country-by-country basis; and ““Recommendations for a Strategic Agenda.”” The full report is available online at www.jpppi.org.il.

WTO Accession, Rural Labour Migration and Urban Unemployment in China

This paper evaluates the rural-urban migration and urban unemployment effects of China's WTO accession based on the China-US bilateral agreement on market accession. The evaluation is conducted by a 53-sector recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of China benchmarked to a most recent version of the Chinese Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The simulation results show that there is a great need for co-ordination between China's rural-urban migration policy, labour market reform and the implementation of trade liberalisation measures after China's WTO entry. The net benefit from WTO membership will be maximised if China adopts a policy gradually to relax its rural-urban migration control in conjunction with its labour market reform. Doing so not only prevents a dramatic worsening of the urban unemployment problem, but also permits enough labour market flexibility to create more employment opportunities for rural unskilled labour shifted out of the farming sector.