Levels Of Government Involvement Research Articles

Corporate social responsibility in the United Arab Emirates and globally: A cross-national comparison

This research paper explores and compares the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies of the top 25 companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and those of the top companies globally having a presence in the UAE market too, using lists sourced from Forbes Magazine. Utilizing the Stakeholder theory, the focus is to understand any potential differences in the CSR practices between these two groups. To achieve this, the study downloads and analyzes annual CSR reports from the websites of these 50 companies, employing content analysis methodology. The analysis was facilitated by two researchers who identified common themes and areas of focus. All the themes were classified into three central factors using SPSS software: Environment, Social, and Governance. The study found several similarities and a few crucial differences in CSR practices between UAE and worldwide companies. Among the distinguishing features were UAE companies' heightened emphasis on charity and philanthropy, a considerable level of government involvement, and a notable absence of a comprehensive reporting framework. The study further unveils valuable insights and best practices that can be adopted by each group, thereby offering practical and theoretical implications for multinational corporations and policymaking. By shedding light on the distinct CSR landscape in the UAE, this paper is a useful resource for companies looking to understand or operate within this region.

An Ethics Assessment Model for Teaching Global Health Program and Policy Implementation

This mixed-method study surveyed and interviewed 60 High Income Country (HIC) US citizens/immigrants and Low-to-Middle-Income-Country (LMIC) citizens of African heritage on their perceptions of mental health services in African communities for implementation and research planning. In this study, ethics was a core emergent theme for global health initiatives and challenges, including political will for ethical change, community gatekeepers, level of government involvement, community-wide participation, public-private sector collaboration, health literacy and education, transparency, continuous monitoring, and consequences for ethical infractions. Based on our findings, we propose an active teaching and learning methodology of problem-based (PBL) and team-based learning (TBL) with multi-level HIC-LMIC citizen engagement for ethics in global health program productivity and sustainability. The intended result is to produce ethically trained and equipped health professionals, enhanced HIC and LMIC capacity building, cultural humility, and decolonization of health programs and policies.

Determinants of Alcohol Addiction among Consumers in Enugu, Nigeria

In spite of several alcohol-related harms, consumption pattern towards alcohol addiction in Nigeria is on the increase. This study attempts to identify the determinants of addictive alcohol consumption among consumers in Nigeria. Using a causal research design, 250 alcohol consumers were purposively sampled. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using the multiple regression analysis in SPSSWIN version 22. The findings revealthat there is a combined effect of the latent variables- peer group, price, socio-cultural environment and government intervention on consumers’ alcohol addiction (R=0.673, R2=0.452 and p= 0.008). In conclusion, peer group influence, price of alcoholic beverages, socio-cultural environment and level of government involvement in alcohol regulation have a direct and significant influence on alcohol addiction. Theoretical and policy recommendations were made; as well as practical implications.

The relationship of corruption to economic activity in the OECD

This study extends earlier research regarding the relationship of corruption to economic activity. Corruption negatively affects all members of society but research indicates a gender bias, specifically, that women are more vulnerable and suffer to a greater extent than men. In the current study, three measures of economic activity are examined: gross domestic product (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), and unemployment rate. A fourth factor, Economic Freedom, is also analysed to assess the relationship between corruption and level of government involvement in a country's economy. Findings indicate that increases in gross domestic product per capita are significantly higher in low-corruption countries. Further, nations with lower levels of corruption experience noticeably lower unemployment rates compared to nations with higher levels of corruption. Additionally, findings show that low-corruption countries tend to have more economically open and free societies. Economic data for the study was collected from the organisation of economic cooperation and development (OECD), from the World Bank, and from the Heritage Foundation's index of economic freedom database. Corruption level data was obtained from Transparency International, which annually publishes a ranking of countries based on perceived corruption. Corruption activities include but are not limited to: corporate fraud, bribery, and cartels.

The impact of government policies on destination competitiveness in developing economies

The role government plays in destination competitiveness is reflected in a country’s institutional environment. The main premise of this study is to provide a better understanding about the appropriate levels of government involvement in destination competitiveness. Seven countries of the Central American region were analysed over 18 years. The results indicate that not all government decisions impact destination competitiveness in the same way, as some may have more influence than others. For example, an increase in the level of corruption revealed a positive impact on destination competitiveness while lowering taxes did not encourage an increase in destination competitiveness. This study contributes to the academic literature not only from theory building but also practical implication on the role of government.

Character of community response to volcanic crises at Sinabung and Kelud volcanoes

Volcano disaster mitigation is a priority in Indonesia's national development plan due to the large number of active volcanoes, high frequency of eruptions and dense population within volcanic hazards zones. As a consequence of these factors and the many decades of experience in mitigation of volcanic risk, Indonesia demonstrates that effective community response is critical to avoid disasters.Understanding of hazards, risks and early-warning systems are the main factors in building an effective community response. The level of understanding of these factors is proportional to a community's independence in taking appropriate actions and is reflected in the community's preparedness. Further, the experience gained from responses to the eruptions of Sinabung and Kelud as well as from other Indonesian volcanoes shows that a local leader plays an important role in mobilizing a community. Such a leader utilizes knowledge of local culture (local wisdom) and an understanding of the community's character to encourage community members to participate and empower themselves. Sharing of information and the formulation of a disaster mitigation plan by government and community also results in a shared commitment to increase participation and community empowerment.Indonesia uses four volcano alert levels to activate community mitigation plans. In order of increasing criticality, these are: Normal, Advisory (Waspada), Watch (Siaga) and Warning (Awas). Implementation of policies, strategies and actions are tied to each level. In addition, mandatory actions by certain stakeholders are required at certain alert levels. These mandatory actions increase the effectiveness of disaster mitigation by both government and community.A comparison of the crisis responses of the Sinabung and Kelud communities is carried out here in order to better understand problems, learn lessons and improve the process of Indonesia's community mitigation policies. Local culture, the start time of community involvement (in normal versus crisis time), degree and level of government involvement, roles of local leaders, local perception of hazards, and political intervention are all factors that influence a community's response at the time of eruption. We stress that an understanding of the “community character,” which includes a number of cultural, social and knowledge parameters is essential for effective crisis management. The responses of Sinabung and Kelud illustrate both the key role of community in disaster mitigation and the synergy that can result from close coordination and collaboration between government and community.

Financing Sustainable Development: The Role of the European Union

Objective – Sustainable development is a multidimensional concept and therefore requires a varied, nonetheless integrative approach to decision making, creation of policies and fundraising. The aim of this paper is to bring about the main sources of financing sustainable development, as well as to analyze the role of the European Union in supporting global sustainable development goals. Although the EU has welcomed the new global development agenda, and has an important role as a leading global donor of development aid, in order to meet miscellaneous expectations for development effectiveness, within the region and globally, it will need to further its efforts and make more concrete actions and changes towards the path of sustainability. Methodology/Technique - In investigating possible implication for financing sustainable development, authors refer to previous studies and EU reports. Findings - The findings presented implications that need to be done in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Foremost, it depends on successful development of national policies, their synergy and coherence. Public and private, domestic and international sources have an important role in financing development. While a certain level of government involvement is needed in terms of its strategic role and ensuring appropriate public funds, the existence of a healthy and stable economic and political system in the country is more important for attracting private investors. Novelty - The study provides clear implications to finance sustainable development and role of EU in this. Type of Paper- Review Keywords - Sustainable Development, European Union, Financing Funds.

The rise of governments in global oil governance: Historical dynamics, transaction cost economics, and contemporary implications

In this paper, I aim to explain why global oil companies created different governance structures to deal with similar challenges. I test several hypotheses derived from transaction cost economics. These hypotheses link movements in asset specificity and uncertainty to changes in the level of hierarchy and political involvement of governance structures. To test these hypotheses, I conduct a crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of seven important governance changes. The analysis leads to the following preliminary theory: increasing and highly volatile global oil production as well as declining market positions for important actors create long-term pressure for governance change. But they do not trigger this change, nor do they predetermine the form it will take. Actors actually change governance structures in reaction to more recent events. They will try to increase government involvement, if they face a more uncertain environment or contradictory market trends. They will more likely prefer stronger hierarchy at a given level of government involvement, if they have to deal with an increasingly diverse market environment.

Taxpayer effects of immigration

Taxpayer effects are a central part of the total economic costs and benefits of immigration, but they have not received much study. These effects are the additional or lower taxes paid by native-born households due to the difference between tax revenues paid and benefits received by immigrant households. The effects vary considerably by immigrant attributes and level of government involvement, with costs usually diminishing greatly over the long term as immigrants integrate fully into society.

MALAYSIAN DEVELOPMENT PLAN SYSTEM: ISSUES AND PROBLEMS, ONE DECADE AFTER ITS REFORM (2001-2011)

In 2001, the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) was amended through Act A1129 (2001). The amendments included provisions to allow four levels of government involvement (Federal, Regional, State and Local Authority) in spatial planning, with the intention of establishing a more effective development plan system in Malaysia. However, an assessment of the relationship between legislative provision and the implementation of development planning is urgently required to consider a number of issues, including delays in adopting plans and the continued existence of out of date plans. Therefore, this paper discusses issues and problems encountered by selected local planning authorities in the implementation of the development planning system. The discussion focuses on the capacity and capability of these authorities with regard to legal aspects, administration, finance, human resource issues and technical support. The data were obtained through mixed methods i.e. postal surveys, interviews with representatives from selected local authorities and focus group discussions with selected professional town planners. The findings demonstrate that most of the issues and problems encountered in implementing the development plan system at each plan level in Malaysia are legal in origin.

MALAYSIAN DEVELOPMENT PLAN SYSTEM: ISSUES AND PROBLEMS, ONE DECADE AFTER ITS REFORM (2001-2011)

In 2001, the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) was amended through Act A1129 (2001). The amendments included provisions to allow four levels of government involvement (Federal, Regional, State and Local Authority) in spatial planning, with the intention of establishing a more effective development plan system in Malaysia. However, an assessment of the relationship between legislative provision and the implementation of development planning is urgently required to consider a number of issues, including delays in adopting plans and the continued existence of out of date plans. Therefore, this paper discusses issues and problems encountered by selected local planning authorities in the implementation of the development planning system. The discussion focuses on the capacity and capability of these authorities with regard to legal aspects, administration, finance, human resource issues and technical support. The data were obtained through mixed methods i.e. postal surveys, interviews with representatives from selected local authorities and focus group discussions with selected professional town planners. The findings demonstrate that most of the issues and problems encountered in implementing the development plan system at each plan level in Malaysia are legal in origin.

Public Health Implication Of Household Solid Waste Management In Awka South East Nigeria.

Background: Solid waste management remains one of the major challenges of urbanization faced by developing countries. The sanitary state of an area is largely influenced by the waste handling practices of the residents and the measures in place for safe waste evacuation and disposal. Objective: This study was aimed at examining the waste handling practices among households in Awka, an urban area in south eastern Nigeria. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study. A total of 200 households were selected using a multi-staged random sampling technique and information was obtained from them using an interview-administered questionnaire. The data obtained was analyzed and relevant proportions calculated. Results: The bulk of the solid waste generated consisted of putrescible matter and cellophane bags. 170 (85%) of the households stored their waste in a closed container outside the house. 73% of the respondents disposed their waste through the inefficient government waste management agency, 27% dumped theirs in unauthorized areas and the remainder patronized private mobile cart pushers. Majority of the respondents (87.5%) did not sort their waste prior to disposal. Despite very good knowledge of waste recycling (95%), only 35 households (17.5%) practiced it. More than half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the level of government involvement in waste management and wished it could do more. Conclusion: There is a need for greater government involvement, community participation and orientation with private sector involvement in waste management in Awka with a view to building capacity for effective delivery of waste management services and ultimately improve the sanitary state of the city thereby reducing preventable disease burden on the populace.

Asian and African Development Trajectories Revisiting Facts and Figures

In today’s dominant discourse, the development trajectory of many East Asian countries is pictured as a success, whereas that of many sub-Saharan African countries is considered a failure. The Asian success stories often refer to the developmental state model, which highlights the pivotal role played by Asian political elites in catalyzing economic growth and broad-based development. The model includes economic liberalization and outward-oriented policies, with targeted support to – and protection of – strategic sectors and infant industries.How far is this underlying assumption supported by empirical evidence? This working paper examines a wide range of economic, social, institutional and governance indicators for a sample of six sub-Saharan and five South East Asian countries. Contrary to our research hypothesis, we did not find any significant difference in the level of government involvement in the domestic economy between the countries of the two regions, nor in the quality of institutions and governance indicators, nor in the share of imports and exports in GDP.Even if there are important gaps between the two regions, for instance with regard to the demographic transition, the agricultural sector or tertiary education, the picture is much more nuanced than portrayed by the dominant discourse. Our review of economic and socio-political indicators tells a rather different story, but not the whole story. Nevertheless, the indicators fail to take into account all the historical, institutional and structural factors that matter a great deal for development. Hence our analysis should be complemented by detailed country case studies to uncover the specific dynamics underlying different development trajectories and outcomes.

Audiovisual laws and legal intervention in South American cinematic culture

In South America, various state organizations have an investment in producing some kind of ‘national’ cinema. Although different countries around the world have varied levels of government involvement, the four countries I would like to examine – Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru – can be drawn upon for their similarities and the shared regional context in which their policies operate. Particularly important is the fact that an increase in government involvement and support has been taking place in the twenty‐first century against predictions that enhanced global capital would weaken the function of the state. Furthermore, it is frequently the case that policy, in the form of government regulation and funding, provides the only means for cinema’s continued existence, visibility and access to the public and thus cannot be underestimated. Complicating these factors is the fact that while legislation is in place, government bodies often struggle to implement the policies in a practical manner. This article examines these issues and suggests the effect they are having on the cinematic culture of the region.

A Litmus Test of Academic Quality

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in the accreditation process serve students and the public? What is the role that accreditors on federal and state levels can play in improving institutional accountability or changing institutional behaviour; and hence, what are the standards and implications of federal vs. state involvement in the accreditation process? What is accreditation’s role in addressing problems raised by arbitrary denial of transfer of credit? And what role does accreditation play in assessing distance education? The paper supports the idea that high quality instruction, academic freedom, accountability and transparency should go hand in hand. Agreement should be reached between different parties involved on what to consider as reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction and how to best measure them for the purposes of accreditation. The evaluation data should be made a public knowledge to increase transparency and serve student interests. And finally, preserving the unique balanced relationship and golden medium that exists between peer review and appropriate levels of government involvement in the process of accreditation would be the best option for further development of higher education in the U.S.

Biomass crop production on representative Southeastern US farms: Farm profitability, erosion control and the 1985 food security act

Erosion control and farm profits are important agricultural policy concerns. Another important policy issue is the development of alternative renewable energy resources. Southeastern US farmers may be able to achieve both a high level of erosion control and an acceptable level of profitability through the production of a biomass energy crop on highly erodible cropland. This paper examines the feasibility of such a production technology in terms of farm profitability, erosion control, and level of government involvement. The micro-Oriented Agricultural Production System (MOAPS) was used in a representative farm approach to model the effects on farm profitability and erosion control of various farm organizations for one representative farm hypothetically located in Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 133 (southwest Georgia) and two in MLRA 134 (west Tennessee). Four alternative farming systems were modeled for each of the above farms, varying crops grown and government participation levels. Results indicate that erosion was likely to be reduced more by the diversion of cropland to permanent vegetative cover on farms similar to the more highly erodible MLRA 134 farms than on the less erodible MLRA 133 farm. Equivalent reductions in erosion rates resulted from entering highly erodible cropland in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and from the production of switch-grass as a biomass-producing energy crop. Both biomass crop production and enrolling highly erodible cropland in the CRP resulted in decreased net returns, although biomass production was in general more profitable than CRP enrollment. Results also indicate that costs of government programs targeting erosion control could be reduced by allowing biomass crop production on highly erodible cropland which is currently enrolled in the CRP.

The role of marketing boards in the industrialization of the Canadian agricultural system

Agricultural product marketing boards have emerged as a significant and somewhat unique institutional framework within the Canadian agricultural system during the last 70 years. That period coincides with the increasing industrialization of the system with respect to both its agribusiness and farm (production) sectors. The paper explores the relationships between the process of industrialization and the particular response represented by marketing board arrangements. The underlying premise is of a causal relationship, but one complicated by the changing goals of, and relationships between, the participants. Although marketing boards are seen as producer-initiated, at each stage their form and functions have been strongly influenced by the attitudes of agribusiness and the level of government involvement. Industrialization affecting agribusiness is seen as the initial stimulus to farmer actions which culminated in the Prairie Wheat Pools and the Canadian Wheat Board. Further consolidation by agribusiness, together with pressures on governments during the Depression, influenced the wave of provincial marketing boards, established during the early stages of farm-level industrialization. Most recently, since 1960, the latest stages of industrialization which have emphasized large scale, oligopolistic and multinational agribusiness, and the emergence of a minority of highly capitalized and specialized farm enterprises, has also seen the application of supply management, a more rigorous form of marketing control, to the dairy and poultry sectors. At present, however, marketing arrangements are under pressure from international trade agreements and from elements of multinational agri- business.

New Settlements Policy in British Columbia

Between 1965 and 1972 the provincial government of British Columbia introduced a new resource towns policy aimed at changing the relationship between corporations, the provincial government, and resource based settlements. The Instant Towns Act, together with the creation of new municipalities, represented a new level of government involvement and intervention in resource towns. The policy served to pass townsite costs from the companies to the workforce and to rationalise the further involvement of the state in resource extraction activities. The provincial government and the companies argued that a new settlements policy was necessary to replace the older model of company towns in order to attract a new and more stable labour force. At the same time as this policy was being shaped, the government was also engaged in developing industrial infrastructure to facilitate the expansion and the changing needs of capital. The Instant Towns Act of 1965 was part of the legislation for the expansion of large firms in the resource extraction sector. This form of infrastructure planning, to coincide with the changing structure of capital, reflects a level of state intervention in the economy of British Columbia, in other Canadian provinces, and indeed in most other western capitalist societies in recent years.