National Government Policies Research Articles

The changing rural-urban divide in China's megacities

This article analyzes the rural-urban divide in China's 14 megacities and how they have changed between 1990 and 2015. Many contemporary plans and policies to manage the rural-urban divide in developing countries are still based on experience and theory developed by Western scholars before China began to urbanize rapidly in the 1980s at a scale and pace unique in human history. New empirical research and theory investigating the changing rural-urban divide are essential for China and other developing countries. This article analyzes the urban-rural income gap and changing size of their urban and rural workforces, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), agricultural productivity, and rural income sources based on analysis of secondary data and interviews with local government officials, university researchers, local urban planners, and residents. Conditions in the rural areas of the megacities have improved greatly on every dimension studied. Absolute incomes have increased, the rural-urban income divide has shrunk, the agricultural workforce has decreased, agricultural productivity has increased and rural residents' sources of income have become more diversified. Processes for coordinating urban and rural development and the integration of urban-rural areas in China has been driven by four major forces: the economic development and urbanization level, bottom-up rural development, national government policy, and local human developmental state practices. However, China's dual economy still persists even in these most advanced areas. The article discusses the significance of our findings and what further research can do to help contribute to understanding of the relationship between urban and rural development in less developed areas of China and other developing countries.

Designing Worlds: National Design Histories in an Age of Globalization by Kjetil Fallan

Reviewed by: Designing Worlds: National Design Histories in an Age of Globalization by Kjetil Fallan Deborah Breen (bio) Designing Worlds: National Design Histories in an Age of Globalization. By Kjetil Fallan and Grace Lees-Maffei. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016. Pp. 296 $130. Designing Worlds is a collection of essays collated by Kjetil Fallan and Grace Lees-Maffei, leaders in the field of design history. The editors focus on the global turn and the chapters indicate this, drawn as they are from Africa, Europe, Asia, and South and North America, with additional chapters from New Zealand, Lebanon, and Jamaica. The coverage is not fully representative of five continents, as the editors claim, but the broad regional range nonetheless illuminates the intersections between the global, national, regional, and local. For historians of technology, there are several important themes. Key amongst these is how to define design history; although many authors challenge the tradition of linking design with industrialization and modernization, Dipti Bhagat's overview of Africa as concept and continent and Livia Rezende's discussion of Brazil make critical contributions to this debate by highlighting the work of indigenous crafts and individual designers. The definition of design is extended in other ways: Jacques Lange and Jeanne van Eeden focus on evolving visual representations of nationhood in South Africa, and Zeina Maasri traces Lebanon's multiple identities through 1960s tourist promotions. Finally, an important provocation to the definition of design is provided by Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan, who examines political practices and their representation in India. Design, thus, is more than material culture produced through industrial manufacturing; these chapters illustrate how it can be reimagined. A second interesting theme emerges from investigating how globalization impacts authenticity and the local (or regional), especially through the mobility of ideas, goods, and people. Claudia Bell examines the assimilation of Maori designs into Pakeha objects, even as New Zealand designers struggle for a national identity in a global marketplace. Stina Teilmann-Lock illuminates how contemporary intellectual property laws complicate the notion of national design: her case study of Danish labels demonstrates that the ideation of a design is now more significant than its place of production, a point that has implications for many fields of history. Another strand of authenticity is teased out by Nicolas P. Maffei in his engaging discussion of interaction and change in Mexican-American borderland cultures. Davinia Gregory also questions authenticity in her examination of architecture in Jamaica, pointing both to the integration and disavowal of British colonial styles. National identity is embedded in these and other discussions throughout the book: Who is included? Who is excluded? [End Page 999] Design histories, as Fallan and Christina Setterlund demonstrate in their chapter on Norwegian and Swedish material culture, provide a useful lens on that unfolding story. Finally, what do we make of the "nation" as a construct within this era of globalization? The authors generally agree that national histories are inadequate and variously endorse frameworks of comparative, post-colonial, and transnational histories. Grace Lees-Maffei's chapter on comparative UK-U.S. domestic advice manuals underscores the importance of transnational histories, for example. Nonetheless, there is recognition that the "nation" still constitutes an important organizational tool for history, and various authors are intrigued by government policy that promotes design as a vehicle for consolidating national culture, albeit for economic ends. Ariyuki Kondo's marvelous discussion of design, including architecture, in Japan illuminates the complex give-and-take of national and international relations. Several authors also explore the spectacle of world fairs, past and present, as a way of highlighting the intersection between national identity, design, and government policy. Government intervention, of different political persuasions, is also explored in Marta Filipová's study of Czech/Bohemian glass. The perspective of the "nation" is useful, the authors argue, but needs to be considered within a larger, multi-local perspective. Historians of technology may find the breadth of this book challenging, but the chapters, taken collectively, open up important questions about the circulation of goods, practices, and personnel—all of which connect to the transfer of technology throughout history. Designing Worlds is an ambitious undertaking, with both historiography and history; the former, especially the editors' introduction and chapters...

What must a lecturer/instructor (teacher) be able to do to inspire entrepreneurship and business students?

This paper discusses what a lecturer/instructor (teacher) must be able to do to inspire entrepreneurship and business students. Entrepreneurship, particularly start‐up business, has become a top priority in national government policies due to its ability to drive creativity, innovation, competitiveness,employment and growth. The goal is not to make the students rush to become entrepreneurs or business‐oriented professionals but rather provide them with tools that enable realistic self‐evaluations and learn to recognize different opportunities around them. The study seeks to define the skill sets that the inspiring entrepreneurship and business teachers consider essential to their work. Teachers expressed their views in small focus groups of their peers, i.e. other teachers. The theoretical framework consists of theories dealing with the general skill sets and expertise of the teachers. The empirical data were collected through a Finnish adaptation of the Canadian DACUM (Developing A CUrriculuM) model which is used to analyze the contents of the requirements of various occupations. A separate questionnaire has been used to support the data collection. This study indicates that most of the entrepreneurship teachers are females whose pedagogical experience seems to be more comprehensive and long lasting than their male colleagues possess. However, they are often short of practical skills. On the contrary, the male colleagues have more experience in practice but with quite narrow pedagogical skills. The female entrepreneurship teachers tend to be inspired, but they often have too little experience in practical working life. According totoday’s trend, entrepreneurship teachers are anticipated to be not only traditional teachers but also entrepreneurs with their own company.

Cities in the Era of Globalization: Positioning Global Cities in International Political Economy

Cities are the dynamic analytical entities of research that involve interactions of economic, social, political, and cultural arenas, associating themselves with the process of industrialization, globalization, technological advancements, and financial revolution. Conceptually, the global cities are the pivotal points of production, manufacturing, connecting three levels of international relations: local, national, and global, providing a broader lens to view the international politics. Emphasis on global cities challenges the statist domination of the international relations framework, thus making the discipline multiscalar (regional, national, and global). The article aims to analyze the role of cities in accelerating capital flows, attracting labor and technological upgradation calling for flexible adjustments in the national government policies in the era of globalization. It will delve into the conceptualization of global cities, strategic role they play in national and international economy, and how critical and significant they are for the flourishing of global capitalism. The core research puzzle is to identify the rise of cities in international political economy and the examination of power, dominance, and the transformation of cities vis-à-vis the changing role of the states.

Financial determinants of local government debt in New Zealand

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the financial determinants of local government debt in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate the financial determinants of local government debt in New Zealand, the authors analyse the relationship between key financial variables with local government debt in New Zealand based on the theories of fiscal accountability and moral hazard using a panel data methodology, specifically the pooled ordinary least squares regression model.FindingsThe findings suggest that council income is the major financial determinant of local government borrowing in New Zealand rather than infrastructural spending and that during the global financial crises (GFC) borrowing levels of New Zealand local councils was not significantly impacted. However, the findings indicate that post the GFC, low interest rates have stimulated increased borrowing activity by New Zealand local governments to fund infrastructure.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to examine the determinants of local government debt in New Zealand. The findings of this study contribute to better understanding of local government/municipality debt in New Zealand and internationally by providing evidence on the financial determinants of debt of local governments and the indirect use of government policy to control local government borrowing. The findings of this study are anticipated to affect local government practices and national government policies in relation to local government finances.

The impact of FDI in land in agriculture in developing countries on host country food security

We investigate the influence of FDI in land in agriculture in developing countries, a phenomenon also known as land grabbing, on host country food security, and suggest a differential impact depending on the investor’s country of origin. FDI in land by developed-country investors positively influence food security by expanding land used for crop production because of home institutional pressure for human rights respect and responsible farmland conduct, in addition to positive spillovers. Instead, FDI in land by developing-country investors negatively influence food security by decreasing cropland due to home institutional pressure to align to national interests and government policy objectives, in addition to negative spillovers.

Avoiding Implementation Failure in Catchment Landscapes: A Case Study in Governance of the Great Barrier Reef.

Water quality outcomes affecting Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are governed by multi-level and multi-party decision-making that influences forested and agricultural landscapes. With international concern about the GBR's declining ecological health, this paper identifies and focuses on implementation failure (primarily at catchment scale) as a systemic risk within the overall GBR governance system. There has been limited integrated analysis of the full suite of governance subdomains that often envelop defined policies, programs and delivery activities that influence water quality in the GBR. We consider how the implementation of separate purpose-specific policies and programs at catchment scale operate against well-known, robust design concepts for integrated catchment governance. We find design concerns within ten important governance subdomains that operate within GBR catchments. At a whole-of-GBR scale, we find a weak policy focus on strengthening these delivery-oriented subdomains and on effort integration across these subdomains within catchments. These governance problems when combined may contribute to failure in the implementation of major national, state and local government policies focused on improving water quality in the GBR, a lesson relevant to landscapes globally.

Assessment of Policy Integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production into National Policies

Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) was adopted as a stand-alone goal and reflected as one of the cross-cutting objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a central role to address global resource consumption and its associated environmental impacts, as well as numerous social and economic issues. With this broad characterization of SCP, policy integration is crucial in addressing it at national level. This paper analyzes characteristics of SCP policy integration based on a survey of national government policies. It reveals that SCP is not fully integrated in national policy-making; high resource consumption sectors such as urban planning, building, and tourism are not fully incorporated into national SCP policies, and there is only limited participation of relevant government ministries other than environment ministries. We find that among countries with horizontal policy integration, those with Green Economy/Green Growth frameworks tend to have better sectoral integration; and those with SCP-specific frameworks are likely to have broader coordination of ministries. By conducting cross-analysis using income level and region, the different characteristics of SCP policy-making approaches were identified. The results of this study provide a better understanding of how SCP is integrated into policy for effective national policy-making and measurement of the SDG Goal 12.

Off the Radar? Addressing housing disrepair to improve health in later life

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the pivotal role of initiatives that address housing disrepair, home improvements and adaptations as a way of improving health, independence and quality of life in older age. Design/methodology/approach The author uses data from housing and health, combined with the author’s experience of policy formulation as well as working with older people and developing practical services, particularly those which address private sector housing stock condition. Findings As well as its massive economic impact, housing greatly affects people’s health and wellbeing, not only in later life but across the life course. In England, there is a long history of systematic, government backed action to improve and maintain housing stock condition. There are significant economic and social gains from a coherent national response to addressing private sector housing disrepair, including creation of employment opportunities, economic stimulus through enabling best use of assets, as well as health and social care gains. In addition to increasing housing supply through building much needed new homes, existing housing stock disrepair needs once again to be “on the radar” of policy makers operating across health, social care and housing. Concerted action to make homes safe, healthy places to live in later life, whatever an older person’s tenure, requires vision and innovation and is an essential element in the integration of health, social care – and housing. With significant funding constraints in local authorities, especially for adult social care, and in the context of growing pressures on the NHS, sustaining good health in later life is more important than ever. There is a compelling case for cross-sector action to reduce health hazards in ordinary, private housing, given that 79 per cent of older people who live in non-decent homes are owner occupiers. This is an opportune moment for Health and Wellbeing Boards to take a lead on this issue at a local level, as well as time to put housing stock condition back “On the Radar” of national government policy. Social implications There is a need to embed practical housing services in the emerging integrated health and care systems in order to extend healthy later life for the majority of older people who live in mainstream housing. Originality/value The author draws on over 30 years’ experience of innovation, development and evaluation of older people’s housing, services and policy development to provide a vision for greater integration across health, care and housing.

Where do IPBES delegates in Europe see challenges, needs, gaps and opportunities in policy uptake of “Nature’s contributions to people”?

This research note illustrates how European national delegates to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) perceive the challenges, needs, gaps and opportunities related to the policy implementation of “Nature’s contributions to people (NCP)” in their nation. Until now, only little information has been available on how IPBES delegations perceive national policy-uptake and the implementation of the IPBES core concept of NCP. Based on an online survey with IPBES delegates, we aim to provide a stock-take of how IPBES delegations see NCP currently being incorporated in national government policies in Europe and how these policies are being implemented through programmes. Survey results show IPBES delegates consider a lack of relevant data and methodologies for NCP assessments to be a major obstacle to the uptake and implementation of NCP concepts in Europe. We wonder if availability of data and methodologies are the most prominent challenges to make IPBES a success, and consider the need for policy uptake and implementation to be more prominently addressed within the IPBES process.

Governing the coordination of care for older people: Comparing care agreements in Denmark and Norway

Increasing specialisation and demands to decrease the length of hospital stays have important consequences for the integration of specialised health and local care services. Based on case studies of care agreements in Denmark and Norway, this article compares subnational governance strategies for coordinating care services for older people discharged from hospitals. The question is how, and to what degree, national government regulations have an impact on local service coordination strategies. The analysis reveals that the numerous subnational procedures for coordination are somewhat more itemised in Denmark, and that regional variation in care agreements is greater in Norway. The identified differences can partly be accounted for by national differences in regulation, which is tighter in Denmark than in Norway. The study suggests that despite decentralisation of responsibility, subnational procedures to facilitate coordination are heavily influenced by national government policy.

IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PERENCANAAN DAN PENGANGGARAN YANG RESPONSIF GENDER DI PEMERINTAH KOTA PALEMBANG

In every current National Government policy, it explicitly makes women and children an integral part of the overall achievement of full human rights fulfillment in Indonesia. This is stated in the second priority agenda of Nawacita namely: increasing the role and representation of women in politics and development. Others are stated also in the eighth priority agenda of Nawacita: protecting children, women and marginalized groups. In this context, the strategic issues to be addressed during the 2015-2019 development period are: (1) improving the quality of life and the role of women in various fields of development; (2) protection of women against various acts of violence including TPPPO; and (3) enhancement of institutional capacity of PUG and institutional protection of women from various acts of violence. This article will examine the implementation of gender responsive planning and budgeting policies with case studies in the city government of Palembang.

IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PERENCANAAN DAN PENGANGGARAN YANG RESPONSIF GENDER DI PEMERINTAH KOTA PALEMBANG

In every current National Government policy, it explicitly makes women and children an integral part of the overall achievement of full human rights fulfillment in Indonesia. This is stated in the second priority agenda of Nawacita namely: increasing the role and representation of women in politics and development. Others are stated also in the eighth priority agenda of Nawacita: protecting children, women and marginalized groups. In this context, the strategic issues to be addressed during the 2015-2019 development period are: (1) improving the quality of life and the role of women in various fields of development; (2) protection of women against various acts of violence including TPPPO; and (3) enhancement of institutional capacity of PUG and institutional protection of women from various acts of violence. This article will examine the implementation of gender responsive planning and budgeting policies with case studies in the city government of Palembang.

Moderating effect of Government Policies on Relationship between Workforce Autonomy and Service Delivery by County Government Workers in Kenya

This study sought to explore the relationship between workforce autonomy and service delivery by County Government workers in Kenya. The study also tested the moderating effect of National Government policies on resource distribution, monitoring and evaluation on workforce autonomy and service delivery. The term workforce refers to the total number of workers engaged in a specific activity or a group of people who work for a particular organization. In this study workforce includes all the county government workers that serve county residents while autonomy refers to freedom to determine one’s own actions. The study used a sample size of 228 respondents, who are the policy makers and supervisors of policy implementation at the counties. They were drawn from five county governments in the lower Eastern Region of Kenya. The study used correlation and regression to analyze the relationship between workforce autonomy and service delivery and the effect of national government policies on resource distribution, monitoring and evaluation on workforce autonomy and service delivery. Results based on the findings indicated that a significant positive relationship between workforce autonomy and service delivery by county government workers in Kenya. The study further revealed that the moderating variable did not have significant influence on workforce autonomy which influenced service delivery on the findings of the study concluded that there was moderately strong correlation between workforce autonomy and service delivery. This study recommends that county governments should put in place ways of enhancing workforce autonomy so as to effective and efficient service delivery. Workers should be empowered to be autonomous and to put in their best without pressure of over supervision so as to deliver services more.

林業基本法と林政のパラドックス（論説）（特集 林業基本法50年(4)）

林業基本法と林政のパラドックス（論説）（特集 林業基本法50年(4)）

PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE IN MANAGEMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES IN AREA CHARACTERIZED BY ISLANDS

Indonesia has eight provinces that are characterized as island regions, but in the setting of marine resource management authority is equated with the continental characterized provinces. Normative provisions apply but people in areas characterized by islands have been treated unfairly. In addition, the licensing system and the distribution of funds allocated as well as unfavorable framework in the implementation of regional autonomy. National government policies are deemed too oriented to the land where it is not appropriate to the needs of the regions. As a result, they are demanding to be no laws governing special about Islands Province. Government responded to amend the legislation on local government in accommodating the interests of the islands. The setting of the DAU and DAK, also provide more financial portion to the islands. It is expected to bring changes to the community. Implementation of regionally based local autonomy, excellence spatial and local potential is a determinant factor the success of regional development framework. Development process should be done based on diversity of various aspects that also needed a different treatment in each province. Thus, the question is whether the political law of the islands is done through changes and harmonization of the local governments law to provide a guarantee of justice so the demands for legislation that specifically regulates an island province is not matter any more. This study expected to find the values of justice and the foundation to be harmonized, so there exist principle of fairness in the management of marine resources in the waters of the area characterized by islands

Regulation and rent‐seeking: The role of the distribution of political and economic power

AbstractIt is shown that the joint distribution of economic and political power plays a key role in determining regulatory and tax policies of national and subnational governments. If both economic and political power are evenly distributed across individuals, then regulatory and tax policies are efficient, but if they are unevenly distributed and positively correlated, then regulatory policy is used by subnational governments to redistribute income in favor of individuals with higher economic and political power at the expense of productivity and output. Consequently, the national government has to raise the tax rate to finance public expenditure. Moreover, if there exists a positive correlation between economic and political power, then the higher the fiscal gap, the larger the gap between equilibrium and efficient policies because subnational governments underestimate more the fall of public revenues caused by inefficient policies.

How to influence the obesity landscape using health policies.

There is widespread acceptance that a significant and sustained impact on the growing global obesity burden requires implementation of a range of health policies to influence the obesity landscape. This acceptance is underpinned by the understanding that the obesity landscape is a complex interaction between the many factors that influence an individual's dietary intake and physical activity levels. Over the past decade we have seen increasing convergence in national and international recommendations on how to best improve this obesity landscape. In the past few years this has led to a noticeable increase in the implementation of these recommended national, state and local government policies. Here, we argue that to maximise the impact of population-level policies intended to improve diet and activity environments we need to see progress in a number of key areas, namely: broadening the range of environments that can be empowered to implement policy; improving our understanding of how best to combine multiple policies and interventions; and improving our understanding of the equity impact of these policies. We also argue that a key goal moving forward should be better capture and communication of the existing activities in order to more rapidly spread the uptake of these policies globally and at scale.

ASSESSMENT OF CHALLENGES FACING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COUNTY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN: A CASE STUDY OF NAROK COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess challenges facing the implementation of the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) in Narok County Government.Methodology: The study utilized a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised of 10 County Executive Committee Members, 22 County Chief Officers who report to CECs and 62 directorates of the respective functional sections or units of the government in Narok County. The study utilized a census technique of data collection meaning the target population was studied.Results: The major findings of the study were that NCG employees were involved in the formulation of the CIDP, the CIDP had been implemented to a moderate extent, NCG had met less than 50% of the performance targets as well as less than 50% CIDP development projects or interventions, the CIDP of NCG is comprehensive as per the requirements of the constitution of Kenya 2010, NCG indeed experienced financial-related challenges, human resource-related challenges and leadership-related challenges in the process of implementing the CIDP. The findings also revealed that national government policies and legislation and organization culture influenced the implementation of the CIDP.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: the study recommends that the national government of Kenya should disburse funds to the county governments regularly and on time, NCG should review their style of leadership to a transformational and consultative style, and that the national government should review the national legislations and policies that govern the operations of county governments.

Development of active social policies in Bulgaria

The paper discusses the development of social policies in the Republic of Bulgaria. Employment policies and measures are examined in conection to the national governmental policies and in conditions of some major changes in economic and social life in the transition to a market economy and joining the EU. Active social policy is characterized in its different aspects, as well as different approaches on employment and unemployment regarding labor force and in comparison to the passive policies. The lessons learnt during preparation, organization and implementation of the programs and measures of labor market policy are a valuable experience on which basis conclusions are made about the functioning of labor market and the link to social and economic development, as well as priorities of future development are set.