Policy Implementation Research Articles

Complexity meets flexibility: unintended differentiation in EU public procurement

ABSTRACT The expansion of European Union (EU) regulations often hampers effective policy implementation in the member states. However, little is known about how these diverse states navigate and apply the complex rules in practice, and with what consequences. This study addresses this gap by examining how the 2014 EU public procurement directives impacted procurement practices across the Union. Using a difference-in-difference design, we find that the EU's goals of harmonisation and competition were undermined in practice. First, we observe a rise in single-bid contracts across EU countries compared to non-EU countries, undermining competition. Second, we demonstrate a growing divergence in policy implementation, where member states with varying administrative capacities and corruption risks display different rates of single bids. Third, we show that while a few Eastern European countries with poor procurement records embraced the flexibility to award contracts based on the most economically advantageous tender, Nordic countries largely avoided this flexibility. This divergence raises concerns that the new EU rules have brought about new corruption risks. These findings have important implications, underscoring the unintended consequences of expanding complex and flexible regulations, revealing that efforts to harmonise the internal market can backfire, leading to increased differentiated policy implementation across the member states.

Patterns, clusters, and transitions in U.S. state ENDS policy implementation: 2010-2020.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as e-cigarettes, have become increasingly used across the world. To respond to global public health challenges associated with vaping, governments have implemented numerous ENDS policies. This research highlights the patterns, clustering, and transitions in U.S. state ENDS policy implementation from 2010 to 2020. Policy data for tobacco and ENDS policies primarily from the Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation (ANRF) were analyzed for the years 2010 to 2020 for all fifty states and Washington, D.C. Patterns and clusters of policies were assessed. Latent trajectories were modeled for ENDS policies across states over time. ENDS policies commonly have analogous tobacco control policies in place prior to their implementation. ENDS policies in states were commonly implemented in "bundles." The temporal trajectories of ENDS policy implementation occurred in 3 latent forms. A majority of states were "catch-up implementers," indicating their slow initial implementation but stronger position by the end of the period of observation in 2020. These trajectories of ENDS policies were not associated with any individual tobacco control policy in place at the start of the trajectory in 2010. The development of ENDS policies in U.S. states has been temporally and geographically uneven. Many states that had initially been slow to implement ENDS policies caught up by 2020. The implementation of policy "bundles" was common. The clustering of policies in bundles has important methodological implications for analyses, which should be considered in ENDS policy evaluations.

Factors Influencing Children’s Hospital Nurses’ Safety Accident Management Activities for Hospitalized Children

Background: We aimed to identify the factors influencing safety accident management activities for hospitalized children in children’s hospitals. Methods: In August 2022, data were collected from 170 nurses across seven children’s hospitals in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Korea. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Safety accident management activities for hospitalized children differ significantly based on nurses’ experience in children’s hospitals (P=0.048). Safety accident management activities were positively correlated with patient safety culture (r=0.47, P<0.001), critical thinking (r=0.35, P<0.001), and nursing work environment (r=0.51, P<0.001). Furthermore, the most influential determinant of safety accident management activities for hospitalized children was the nursing work environment (β=0.42, P<0.001), followed by nurses’ experience in children’s hospitals (β=0.20, P=0.004), and patient safety culture (β=0.17, P=0.041). These variables had an explanatory power of 34.0 % (adjusted R2=0.34, P<0.001). Conclusion: A positive nursing work environment and strong patient safety culture are essential for increasing safety accident management activities among children’s hospital nurses. Additionally, children’s hospitals should provide support to the nursing staff and implement policies that encourage long-term retention of experienced nurses.

The economics of translating a biosimilar from lab to market in India.

This study aims to establish a cost basis for biologics manufacturers and policymakers by quantifying the price and time required to bring a biosimilar from the lab to market. For efficient implementation of a cost-based policy, especially for life-saving medicines like biosimilars, it is imperative to establish a benchmark for the cost involved in biosimilar development. In this holistic and multiple-case study, stage-wise cost estimates of biosimilar development were obtained for microbial and mammalian systems. The investigation of six biopharmaceutical companies based in India concluded that biosimilar development through the microbial system costs ∼18 million USD and ∼21 million USD for the mammalian system. Additionally, 45-50 million USD is required as a one-time capital investment. Further, US/EU authorization can cost ∼25 million USD per product. Clinical studies are the most expensive and account for 60%-70% of total development cost. The presented information can serve as a basis for implementing cost-based pricing in countries like India and reimbursement policies for biosimilars under Medicare Part B in the United States.

The Strategy of the Yogyakarta City Government in Implementing a Sustainable Zero Inorganic Waste Policy

This research aims to analyze the implementation of the Zero Inorganic Waste policy enacted by the Yogyakarta City Government, focusing on waste sorting strategies, infrastructure support, and challenges encountered in managing inorganic waste. The qualitative methodology involves field observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with various stakeholders. The research findings indicate that while this policy has successfully raised public awareness about waste separation, significant challenges remain, such as low public participation, limited infrastructure, and insufficient education efforts. Therefore, the government must increase resource allocation for waste management infrastructure and develop more effective educational programs to encourage behavioral change. This study’s contribution to urban waste management literature lies in its emphasis on the importance of a participatory and systematic approach to waste management and the need for public behavioral change to achieve sustainability goals. The conclusions of this study provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners in formulating more effective waste management strategies in Yogyakarta and other urban areas. This research also offers substantial theoretical contributions, particularly regarding the importance of participatory and systematic approaches in urban waste management and the necessity for societal behavioral changes to achieve sustainability objectives.

Heatwave-amplified atmospheric oxidation in a multi-province border area in Xuzhou, China

Ozone formation is closely tied to emissions of precursors, meteorological conditions, and atmospheric chemistry. In June 2024, Xuzhou City, located at the intersection of Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui provinces in East China, experienced a series of ozone pollution events. The continuous pollution episodes were characterized by consistently high levels of ozone, with daytime peaks reaching 130 ppb. By combining observations of atmospheric oxidation and the use of the Observation-Based Model model, it was determined that the pollution was the result of a “heatwave-ozone” co-occurring extreme event triggered by elevated temperatures, low humidity, and intense radiation. The heatwave led to increased emissions of VOCs from both natural and human-related sources, with more pronounced contribution from Bio-alkenes and OVOCs. This, in turn, resulted in higher levels of oxidizing agents and ozone formation potential, exacerbating the co-occurrence of heatwaves and ozone extremes. Sensitivity tests on enhanced controls showed that reducing NOx had a significant adverse effect on ozone levels, whereas reducing VOCs had positive benefits, particularly for controlling alkenes. Despite ongoing reductions in anthropogenic VOCs, the elevated temperatures led to an increase in natural VOCs emissions. On average, a 1°C temperature decrease could reduce the reactivity ratio of VOCs to NOx (VOCR/NOxR) by 0.12, thereby enhancing the advantages of emission reductions. Therefore, implementing measures to alleviate extreme heatwaves, such as limiting high-energy consumption and inducing artificial rainfall, can simultaneously reduce the intensity and reactivity of VOC emissions, aiding in the effective implementation of ozone pollution control policies.

The Contestation of National Adaptation Policies in Indonesia

Indonesia actively supports the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation by setting ambitious climate change adaptation pledges in its Nationally Determined Contributions. This paper explores the implementation of those adaptation commitments within a polycentric governance structure in Indonesia. There is a debate about whether polycentric institutions help or hinder the effectiveness of adaptation outcomes. The question remains, why is the implementation of climate change adaptation policies in Indonesia ineffective? This paper argues that the contestation between the National Development Planning Agency and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, as two dominant ministries in adaptation, has beset the polycentric structure of adaptation governance in Indonesia and resulted in ineffective adaptation policy implementation. Moreover, the polycentric adaptation governance is ineffective because Indonesia is still facing problems in coordination, collaboration, policy learning, leadership, resource distribution, and dispersion of power.

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION OF LAND USE POLICY FOR BUILDING HOUSES IN RURAL BANGLADESH

The paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of the national land use policy in Bangladesh, highlighting the gaps in implementation and the need for strategic improvements for building houses using minimum agricultural land in rural areas of Bangladesh. The main objectives of the policy evaluation research are to explore the extent of the intervention of the National Land Use Policy 2001 that has achieved the objective of minimum use of agricultural land, to determine whether the authority has made the rural people aware of building model houses, multistorey buildings, and planned residential areas in the village and finally to find out the critical factors for effective implementation of national land use policy. It has been used as a mixed evaluation research method with both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data were collected online using a semistructured questionnaire and checklist for respondent interviews. The main results of the policy evaluation revealed that the objectives of the policy are not achieved and effectively implemented for numerous reasons as such, the implementers are reluctant to implement and make aware the villagers, responsible implementing agencies are not fully well-defined, people are unaware and do not know about the policy, lack of village development planning and design, overpopulation and segregation of families, poverty, lack of monitoring by the ministry, unorganized urbanization and industrialization, local political influence, absence of land zoning and union parishad are unwilling to enforce their laws, etc. To implement the policy effectively, a joint effort of the local government bodies, local communities, and all local administration departments would be required, and each organization’s role would be well classified, and payment or loan support would be transferred to the rural people of Bangladesh.

Analysis of the Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Driving Factors of Cultivated Land Fragmentation Under the Expansion of Urban and Rural Construction Land: A Case Study of Ezhou City

A systematic understanding of the spatial-temporal evolution patterns of cultivated land fragmentation (CLF), its driving factors, and its relationship with the expansion of urban and rural construction land is essential for identifying strategies to mitigate CLF in rapidly urbanizing regions. This study combined landscape fragmentation with ownership fragmentation, analyzing CLF through three dimensions: resource endowment, spatial concentration, and convenience of utilization, with eight selected indicators. By comparing village-level data from 2013 to 2022, we explored the key drivers of CLF and its conflicts with urban and rural construction land expansion. The findings indicate a clear spatial variation in village-level CLF in Ezhou, characterized by low fragmentation in the northwest and northeast, and high fragmentation in the southwest and central regions. This pattern is in contrast to Ezhou’s economic development, which decreased progressively from east to north and south. Over the study period, village-level CLF in Ezhou evolved from being primarily moderately and relatively severely fragmented to predominantly severely and relatively severely fragmented, with an overall declining trend and more pronounced polarization. At the same time, the CLF within the village region demonstrated notable spatial clustering features, with a rapid increase observed between 2013 and 2022. It was also discovered that CLF is driven by various factors, with the main influences being the proportion of construction land, land use intensity, and population density. Cultivated land is the main source of both urban construction land (UCL) and rural construction land (RCL), with average contribution rates of 46.47% and 62.62%, respectively. This research offers empirical evidence for rapid urbanization and serves as a critical reference for rural revitalization and coordinated urban–rural development, with potential guidance for future policy formulation and implementation.

Ebb and Flow: The Prospects and Constraints of Climate Migrants

ABSTRACT Understanding why people choose to adapt or emigrate when facing slow-onset climate events is central to the design and implementation of policy addressing displacement spurred by climate change, especially climate-refugee programs. In this article, we leverage extensive field interviews and a novel survey in the Federated States of Micronesia, a country at high risk of environmental degradation but whose citizens have carte blanche access to the United States. We find that despite a general awareness of environmental risks, these play a minor role in migration decision making. Instead, other factors like work, health, and family obligations take precedence.

Developments in cannabis enforcement practices and patterns associated with non-medical cannabis legalization policies: a basic literature/data review

ABSTRACT Non-medical cannabis control has recently shifted to legalization policies in multiple jurisdictions, including North America. In addition to improved public health and safety, legalization aims to advance other, including ‘social justice’ outcomes, e.g. as related to cannabis law enforcement. We identified and examined (10) available studies from North American jurisdictions specifically assessing developments or changes in cannabis-related enforcement practices and patterns from pre- to post-legalization contexts. While source data-related study approaches and policy settings are heterogeneous, essential results suggest that legalization policy implementation has been associated with mostly 1) substantive reductions in enforced cannabis (e.g. possession/use) offenses involving legal-age adults; 2) mixed – ranging from decreases to increases – developments regarding enforcement targeting (under-age) youth; 3) decreases in total but persistence of relative race-related enforcement disparities involving both adult and youth populations. These data imply at least partial legalization-related successes toward improved related ‘social justice’ aims in these respects, while key questions remain, specifically concerning systemic enforcement biases involving racial minorities and the criminalization of underage youth as vulnerable groups. These enforcement-related outcomes of cannabis legalization policies warrant continued monitoring and in-depth policy-analytical examination, while jurisdictions newly implementing legalization should pay particular attention to ‘social justice’ objectives.

The Setting-Up Measure to Support Generational Renewal in Agriculture: The Italian Experience

Since the 1970s, the issue of ageing farmers and generational renewal in agriculture has consistently attracted the attention of policymakers. However, despite successive reforms of the European Union Structural Funds, efforts to encourage young people to enter the agricultural sector remain largely focused on agricultural and rural policies, specifically on the First Settlement scheme. This paper highlights the role of the European Union’s rural development policy in supporting and encouraging generational renewal in agriculture. A qualitative analysis of the Italian case examining some of the demographic changes that have occurred within the agricultural system at the regional level has been conducted. The analysis is based on the comparison of policy implementations in different programming periods. Using data from the General Censuses of Agriculture and the Italian Agricultural Payments Agency—supplemented by the Annual Implementation Reports of the Italian Rural Development Programmes—the research traces the evolution of initiatives supporting young farmers. The main findings reveal a notable decline in the number of young people in the primary sector over the last decade, together with an ageing population of agricultural farmers. Measures to support young farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy appear to be ineffective in countering the ageing trend. There is scope for integrated policies to enhance the attractiveness and profitability of rural areas and to ensure long-term sustainable generational renewal in the agricultural sector.

Green technology innovation or pollution substitution? an evolutionary game for high-Energy-consuming enterprises’ strategy from a consideration of energy-consuming trading rights

ABSTRACT The energy-consuming rights trading (ECRT) environmental regulatory policy starting from demand side reform has a significant influence on the enterprises’ production strategies. However, there is still a lack of research on dynamic mechanisms from a micro perspective. Referencing ECRT policy implementation, this paper incorporates government, the public, and high-energy-consuming enterprises into a unified framework, and constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model to explore the enterprises’ production strategy under the reward and punishment accountability mechanism. Then, a case study is addressed to examine the role of government. The results show that: (1) The steady-state conditions of the three parties depend on their own cost–benefit circumstances. Enterprises’ production strategy is driven by the coordination of the government and the public. (2) Achieving ideal equilibrium path evolution requires that the expected benefits of green technology innovation more strongly than the expected benefits of ‘pollution substitution’ practices. (3) A strict accountability system that includes penalties and rewards can enhance public supervision and accelerate the transformation of government active regulatory supervision strategies, stimulating the internal driving forces that motivate enterprises’ green technology innovation. The findings provide references for promoting the implementation of ECRT and helping to achieve the strategy of ecological civilisation construction.

Framing Coherence Across EU Policies Towards Integrated Wildfire Risk Management and Nature-Based Solutions

Wildfire risk has been exacerbated across Europe by climate change favoring more damaging and severe wildfire events. This evolving wildfire risk context interacts with a broad landscape of EU policies including those on nature conservation, forestry, bioeconomy or climate and energy, all of which may increase or reduce fire hazard and the level of exposure and vulnerability of the values at risk. Coherently addressed, policies may support wildfire disaster risk management synergistically while reducing potential dysfunctions. This research conducts a content analysis of EU policies and initiatives under the European Green Deal with respect to integrated wildfire risk management and related nature-based solutions. The results show that a consistent EU policy framework to address wildfire risk reduction in a synergic way exists, with no major conflicts in the policy design. Nevertheless, better guidance on fire-smart land management practices and the conceptualization of wildfire-related nature-based solutions may enhance a more coherent policy implementation. Additional suggestions around the legal status of wildfire protection and ‘whole of government’ governance frameworks are discussed. Notably, within the laws, policies and initiatives analyzed, the beneficial side of fire addressed by integrated fire management is either missing or not explicitly mentioned, although it is considered in policy-related supporting guidelines.

Performance of cash transfer program on farmers’ livelihood: evidence from PM-KISAN scheme of India

IntroductionResearch into various aspects of vulnerability and poverty has played a key role in shaping cash transfer systems. Cash-based direct benefit transfers (DBT) are frequently discussed, as they help reduce corruption and limit intermediary involvement, which often impedes policy implementation in countries like India. Small and marginal farmers (SMFs), constituting 86% of India’s farming population, are essential for sustainable agricultural growth and ensuring food and nutrition security. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme provides Rs.6000 annually to the farmer families via DBT mechanism. Despite reports and information from various government sources, significant concerns remain regarding the performance of PM-KISAN scheme in improving living conditions of SMFs.MethodsFor having the highest number of SMFs, a research study was conducted in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Two cluster of villages from each of these two states were chosen by simple random sampling (SRS) method. An ex post facto research design was used; data was gathered from 240 SMFs, with 120 beneficiaries and 120 non-beneficiaries, using a stratified disproportionate simple random sampling technique. The study used 18 indicators related to livelihood assets—human capital, social capital, natural capital, physical capital, and financial capital—to generate a Livelihood Index (LI) through Principal Component Analysis (PCA).ResultsThe beneficiaries of the scheme had an average LI score of 0.396, while non-beneficiaries had a score of 0.366. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was employed to compare the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in order to determine the impact of the scheme. In the Livelihood Index of beneficiaries, in comparison to non-beneficiaries, there was a significant improvement of 3.34 to 4.13 percentage points, according to the analysis, which utilized a variety of matching algorithms.DiscussionImplications from the study suggests that PM-KISAN should be integrated into a broader rural development strategy to maximize multiplier effects. By combining cash transfers with complementary initiatives like modern technology adoption and high-yield seeds, farmers can make productive investments that could enhance their livelihood status.

What is the Role of Social Capital in the Innovation Creation Process? Evidence from the European Union

This study empirically analyzes whether social capital has any role in shaping the innovation creation process in 25 members of the European Union over the period 2013-2021. In this context, the innovation model is constructed utilizing balanced panel data and hierarchically estimated with the Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) method which is the most appropriate method since the model includes some negative values and count data. The finding strongly supports the encouraging effect of social capital on innovation since it is statistically significant and positive in all model specifications. Besides, the innovation creation process is positively associated with human development, research and development expenditure, population, government effectiveness, and income per capita. When comparatively evaluated estimation results, human development, and social capital lead to forth in terms of contributing more innovation creation process. As a core result of the study, social capital may be considered the workhorse for the innovation creation process since it promotes better coordination of activities through improved interpersonal interactions, increased community trust, and vision-sharing, leading to increased market efficiency and decreased costs. Therefore, it is recommended that these countries develop strategies to enhance their social capital and implement policies to increase especially in bridging and linking social capital, which generates a competitive advantage over their rivals.

The Shadows of Internationalisation

This forum proposes the use of concept of “shadows” in the analysis of internationalisation policies to make visible the decision-making processes and practices appearing at all levels of internationalisation policies. We focus on the problematic effects appeared at the intersect of internationalisation policies implemented by the countries perceived academic values differently on example of Finland as the EU member state and pre-war Russia. We consider these effects as preventing equal access to quality higher education and life-long learning for all (SDG4, target 4.3). The forum conceptualises the lessons of the EU/Finnish-Russian internationalisation for further usage the suggested theoretical lens in policy implementation in other countries developed their own internationalisation policy on different value basis. This study address to what happens when the internationalisation policies promoted European view on fundamental academic values, are implemented with such policies in the countries where these values are perceived in another way. We answer the question of how and why the shadows of internationalisation appear and have an impact at a macro-, meso-, and micro-level, and conceptualize them for future policy improvement. The forum discusses the implications of internationalisation policies from the practice perspective and what might be learnt by the stakeholders previously involved in these cooperation partnerships.

Implementing traceability technologies to promote ethical sourcing in Ghana’s fashion and apparel industry

ABSTRACT The demand for traceability has emerged as a significant imperative within the framework of an ethical supply chain that includes multiple stages. This study focusses on the implementation and impact of traceability technology in the Ghanaian fashion industry. The study employed descriptive and explanatory research, using a 700-stakeholder sample, a standardised questionnaire, and descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings of the study indicate that QR codes, GPS tracking, sustainable material tracing, and consumer interaction apps demonstrate a high level of effectiveness within the Ghanaian fashion business. The implementation of traceability technology faces challenges like limited knowledge, research insufficient, lack of coordination, policy absence, financial constraints, technological infrastructure limitations, data privacy concerns, opposition, and training gaps. Stakeholders generally support the implementation of coordination policies and regulatory compliance strategies, suggesting that factors like awareness, research, cost, infrastructure, data protection, opposition, and training should be prioritised.

Measuring influencing factors affecting mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Background The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed clear deficiencies in global public health policies and healthcare systems when confronted with the emergence of a novel and deadly infectious disease. Objectives With 4 years elapsed since the onset of the pandemic, ample data now exist to analyse the associations between the implementation of diverse public health policies, sociodemographic factors and COVID-19 mortality rates. Methods This study utilised the dataset compiled by ‘Our World in Data’ spanning the period of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022. Stochastic frontier analysis was employed to assess the influencing factors and their relationship with mortality rates resulting from COVID-19 infections across 156 countries or regions. Results This study yielded several key findings: (1) There remains a 33% margin for improvement in the global mortality rate concerning the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) During the initial stage of the pandemic, when an effective vaccine was not yet available, implementing public health control policies could reduce both the infection and mortality rates; (3) Areas characterised by higher population densities, a greater proportion of individuals aged 65 and over, and elevated prevalence rates of diabetes demonstrated higher mortality rates; and (4) Increasing vaccination coverage emerged as an effective strategy for reducing mortality rates. Conclusions As our understanding of the COVID-19 virus improves, global economies and social interactions have gradually returned to normality. It is anticipated that the findings of this study can serve as a valuable reference in combating potential future pandemics caused by unknown viruses.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2024.2.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis, as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating clinician and do not account for individual variation among patients. See the Appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2, online only). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-da-living-guideline.