National Planning Policy Research Articles

Recommendation and implementation of good practice in researcher evaluation in Finland

Finland is among the first countries to have developed national recommendation on responsible research assessment in 2020. Recommendation for the Responsible Evaluation of a Researcher in Finland provides a set of general principles (transparency, integrity, fairness, competence, and diversity), which apply throughout 13 recommended good practices to improve four aspects of researcher evaluation: A) Building the evaluation process; B) Evaluation of research; C) Diversity of activities; and D) Researcher’s role in the evaluation process. The national recommendation was produced by a broad-based working-group constituted by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies, however the implementation needs to take place at institutions, which all have their diverse circumstances, challenges, needs and goals. The national recommendation has an implementation plan, which includes development of national level infrastructures and services to support more qualitative and diverse assessments policies and practices locally. The institutional uptake of the recommendation will be promoted by forthcoming National policy and executive plan for open scholarship, and tracked across all research performing organisations as a part of biannual Open Science monitoring exercise starting in 2022.

Demography and electrical energy in the economy of large Cameroonian cities

This article shows that Cameroon remains the second hydroelectric potential of Africa after the Democratic Republic of Congo. Started in the 1950s and developed in 2001 by the national policy, strategy and action plan for energy efficiency in the electricity sector in Cameroon with the construction of hydroelectric dams and thermal power plants, the result of this policy Slow is the persistence of difficulties in supplying electrical energy, which leads to continuous load shedding on the one hand, and the limits linked to supplies in a context of increasing urbanization (2.5%) on the other. Although the correlation between population growth and energy consumption remains present for economic growth in cities, the rate of GDP is 5.77% and remains constant among other things, from the energy crisis in all cities of the country.

A circular construction evaluation framework to promote designing for disassembly and adaptability

This paper formulates a concise, free-to-use Circular Construction Evaluation Framework (CCEF) based upon international design code guidelines to assess and quantify the circularity credentials of an existing or proposed construction project. Central to the principles of circular construction is designing for disassembly and adaptability - the ability of a building's elements and connecting components to be disassembled and reused, or rearranged, after the initial design life. Analysis of modern methods of construction and the compatibility of systems with the concepts of designing for disassembly and material reuse inform the development of the CCEF. Circular construction is facilitated by simplicity, standardisation and modularity in design, sustainably-sourced materials, transparent and accessible mechanical connections and the adoption of a manufacturing-style approach towards durable and reusable standardised components and materials. The CCEF allows users such as clients, consultants, contractors, local and national planning and infrastructure policy professionals to evaluate both whole building and elemental levels at the early design and planning stages in a new-build, refurbishment or renovation project. Implementation of a scoring system is demonstrated by the evaluation of example buildings with varying usage of conventional and bio-based materials. It is shown by use of the framework that a simple standardised construction using reversible connections and previously used material elements rates highly, demonstrating a greater extent of circularity in the construction.

Ideology and Institutional Change: The Case of the English National Planning Policy Framework

ABSTRACT This paper deploys a discursive institutionalist framework to explore how various categories of ideas – from ideology, to programme, to policy – interact to shape the planning policymaking process. Using the emergence of the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework in England as a case study, the role of the political ideology of the leadership of a political party (as distinct from, but related to, the broader category of ‘neoliberalism’) in shaping and legitimising planning reform is analysed. It is shown that it is not only the political ideological legacy of a political party and how it melds with the prevailing paradigmatic orthodoxy (such as neoliberalism) that matters in framing planning reform, but that the way in which ideas are communicated and consulted on in the policymaking process is also significant.

Environmental and financial assessments of open burning, open dumping and integrated municipal solid waste disposal schemes among different income groups

This research investigated the cost-effectiveness of twenty-four municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal schemes for four per capita income groups (low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income groups) using life cycle cost assessment (LCCA). In the study, the LCCA included cash inflow (sales of recycle materials, fertilizer, and surplus electricity), cash outlay (investment and operation and maintenance costs), and environmental costs (based on environmental impacts). The life cycle environmental impacts and costs assessments were carried out using Stepwise2006. The most environmentally and financially preferable MSW disposal scenarios were determined for all four income groups. The LCCA was further applied to existing LCA-based studies on MSW management in India (a lower-middle income country) and Brazil (an upper-middle income country), and results were compared with the original LCA-based findings. The results showed that the environmental impacts of disposal schemes of the lower income groups were the lowest, while the cost-effectiveness were the highest (−284.79 to −1698.77 US$2019 per ton). The findings also revealed that the environmental impacts and per capita income were positively correlated. Composting biodegradable waste (320.16–402.40 US$2019 per ton) and landfilling combustible waste (312.87–350.06 US$2019 per ton) incurred the lowest total environmental costs. The most environmentally and financially preferable MSW disposal scenarios for all four income groups were the disposal scheme that integrates multiple waste disposal processes, including recycling for recyclable waste, incineration for combustible waste, composting for biodegradable waste, and landfill for non-recyclable and non-combustible waste, given the high financial gains and low environmental costs. In essence, LCCA takes into account both the financial and environmental costs, thus closely reflecting the actual cost of MSW management. Therefore, policymakers should adopt the LCCA method in the formulation and implementation of the national MSW management policy and action plans.

Health Service Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Associated with the Continuum of Disability in Vietnam.

Reducing the burden of disability is key priority in many countries where the population is aging rapidly. The relationships between disability, health expenditure and economic burden are complex, particularly when disability is recognized as a continuum rather than a dichotomous phenomenon. However, these complex relationships are not adequately addressed in national health policy and management plans in Vietnam. This paper examines the economic consequences of disability across its continuum or levels of severity. Two-part regression models were applied to assess the relationships between disability, health service use and the out-of-pocket expenditure. We found that Vietnamese adults with disabilities had multiple characteristics of vulnerability, e.g., older, less likely to be employed, lower education, and poorer than adults without disabilities. These characteristics are associated with poorer health and higher need of healthcare utilization but, after controlling for these factors, disability still had an independent association with higher health expenditure and greater economic burden at their household (p < 0.05). Our study provides empirical evidence of the economic burden associated across the continuum of disability in Vietnam. Decisive action is critical for protecting persons with disability from medical impoverishment, and such targeted interventions should include those with moderate disability rather than the current focus on severe disability.

Strategic Environmental Assessment: Current Status, Practices and Challenges in Bangladesh

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is an appraisal device of policies, plans, and programs and has evolved from an alternative of environmental impact assessment (EIA) to a potential environmental policy integration tool in national policy planning. Bangladesh has likewise rendered SEA in its environmental evaluation framework to consider environmental and social outcomes of policies, plans, and programs(PPPs), but the practice and current situation of SEA in Bangladesh is unknown to all. Considering this crisis the study was carried out to analyze the present status of SEA as well as to find out the constraints for successful SEA implementation in Bangladesh as an approach to integrate environmental considerations in the PPPs. The data were collected through multiple methodological techniques including document review as well as survey by standard questionnaire and key informant interviews (KIIs) with different stakeholders of the various backgrounds of Bangladesh related to policymaking. The study showed that SEA first appeared in Bangladesh in 2006 with the support of the World Bank as a donor agency and the first SEA was done in Bangladesh on the Dhaka metropolitan development plan in 2007. But through the enactment of the National Environmental Policy 2018, SEA gained formal status in the country. Now, This study also revealed that most of the organizations (government and non-government) i.e. 55.77 percent never practice SEA whereas only 15.38 percent of organizations of Bangladesh practice SEA on regular basis, and 28.85 percent of organizations practiced partially for assessing SEA in their proposed PPPs. A diverse list of constraints such as lack of political will, lacking awareness of SEA, inadequate finance, weak enforcement of environmental law, and inadequate knowledge of the implementation of SEA in PPPs were identified. Therefore, awareness building, capacity development, and proper training on SEA in Bangladesh are urgently needed.

Initiation of Virtual Court System during COVID-19 Pandemic and E-Judiciary: Challenges and Way Forward

The Constitution of the people’s republic of the Bangladesh recognizes the right to protection of law and access to justice as fundamental rights. But the COVID-19 pandemic has, in effect, suspended the execution of these fundamental rights. The immediate impact of the pandemic has triggered courts across Bangladesh be shut to maintain social distancing. Third organ of the State cannot remain static during a crisis of this scale and duration. On this backdrop, the judiciary has started the operation of the virtual court system from May, 2020. Opening the doors to virtual courts, Bangladesh has joined a list of countries across the world where the justice system has similarly responded to the coronavirus-induced lockdown with increased digitalization. If the e-judiciary is introduced properly, reduction of the delay in the court process and elimination of the backlog of cases, which are the biggest challenge for the judiciary in our country, can be resolved rapidly. The virtual court would play a pioneering role in establishing e-judiciary. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has taken an extraordinary test with the limited resources and digital infrastructures for carrying out virtual courts during this Covid-19 pandemic. The core objective of this study is to investigate the challenges of virtual court system in delivery of justice during COVID 19 pandemic situation and identify the way out to make the digital judiciary as permanent system for effective delivery of E-justice. The success of this noble initiative would largely depend upon ensuring technological support and legal requirements for e-courts and framing and implementing sound national policy and action plan for e-judiciary.

Progress of IBSA Countries Towards Universal Primary Education: A Comparative Analysis

Free and compulsory primary education remains a priority area in the international policy perspective, starting from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 to the formulation of Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Under the impact of globalization, an impressive expansion in the access to primary education has been observed in recent decades and the global trends in enrolment rates across the developing world have attested this fact. However, many developing countries, such as India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA), are still struggling with the goal of quality primary education for all. The IBSA countries are emerging economies and very proactive in addressing past inequalities prevalent in their countries. With the cooperation of international organizations, national policy planning and other initiatives, these countries have performed quite well in the educational attainment. But even today, these countries have not achieved the goal of quality primary education for all. This paper reviews the attainment of free and compulsory primary education in these countries, along with the challenges faced in the achievement of universal primary education. These challenges may hinder the progress of these countries towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal.

An exploratory study on national language policy and family language planning in the Chinese context

National language planning and family language planning may converge or diverge. As 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the new China, we examined language planning at both the ...

Adaptaciones al Subsistema Nacional de Evaluación de Costa Rica a partir de los ODS

The article compiles the advances in the sub-system of evaluation in the field of public interventions evaluation in the Costa Rican public sector. It particularly emphasizes the strategic elements recently configured by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy as the governing body in evaluation, bearing in mind the postulates of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals’ framework as a reference and meeting point. In this sense, a tour around the national governing instruments for evaluation that have been permeated by this international framework is made, as well as a review of a specific case. It concludes with a series of reflections to feed the debate on the need to step forward in the state apparatus’ evaluation schemes.

ANALISIS IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PELAYANAN KELUARGA BERENCANA BERGERAK DI PROVINSI DKI JAKARTA TAHUN 2019

Based on the 2017 IDHS, the unmet need for DKI Jakarta Province was 15.7%, this figure is still above the national average of 10.6%. This shows that there are still problems in fulfilling contraceptive needs for PUS in DKI Jakarta Province. One of the national family planning (FP) policies in increasing access to FP services is through mobile FP services with a focus on serving Long Acting Methods (LAM). The implementation of the movement of LAM services is a strategic effort by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Office of Empowerment, Child Protection and Population Control in increasing fertile age couples participation in LAM so that it is expected to reduce the Total Fertility Rate (TFR). The research used a qualitative descriptive method which aims to describe how the implementation of mobile FP service policies in DKI Jakarta Province which is regulated in the Regulation of the Head of BKKBN Number 10 of 2018 concerning the Implementation of Mobile FP Services seen from the Communication, Resources, Bureaucratic Structure and the Attitudes of FP Program Managers and Implementers and to identify obstacles in implementing the policy. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 administrators and implementers of FP policies who were selected based on purposive sampling technique. The results showed that communication from the management level was carried out routinely through coordination meetings. There is support for regulatory guidelines for program implementers. There is a commitment from the managers and implementer in an effort to achieve the target of increasing participation in LAM. The obstacle is the lack of number of field FP personnel which can affect the implementation of tasks to be less than than optimal.

Developing UAV-Based Forest Spatial Information and Evaluation Technology for Efficient Forest Management

Forest spatial information is regularly established and managed as basic data for national forest planning and forest policy establishment. Among them, the grade of vegetation conservation shall be investigated and evaluated according to the value of vegetation conservation. As the collection of field data over large or remote areas is difficult, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used for this purpose. Consequently, there is a need for research on UAV-monitoring and three-dimensional (3D) image generation techniques. In this study, a new method that can efficiently collect and analyze UAV spatial data to survey and assess forests was developed. Both UAV-based and LiDAR imaging methods were evaluated in conjunction with the ground control point measurement method for forest surveys. In addition, by fusing the field survey database of each target site and the UAV optical and LiDAR images, the Gongju, Samcheok, and Seogwipo regions were analyzed based on deep learning. The kappa value showed 0.59, 0.47, and 0.78 accuracy for each of the sites in terms of vegetation type (artificial or natural), and 0.68, 0.53, and 0.62 accuracy in terms of vegetation layer structure. The results of comparative analysis with ecological natural maps by establishing vegetation conservation levels show that about 83.9% of the areas are consistent. The findings verified the applicability of this UAV-based approach for the construction of geospatial information on forests. The proposed method can be useful for improving the efficiency of the Vegetation Conservation Classification system and for conducting high-resolution monitoring in forests worldwide.

Non-Muslim consumers’ intention to purchase halal food products in Malaysia

PurposeThis study aims to identify the intention to purchase Halal food products amongst non-Muslim consumers in Malaysia, moderated by the acculturation effect.Design/methodology/approachA structured close-ended questionnaire was used to gather data through the random distribution of 397 non-Muslim consumers from the Alumni network of several private higher education institutions in Malaysia.FindingsThe collected data was analyzed through the structural equation modelling technique using partial least squares with SmartPLS 3.0. The result indicated that attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were positively influenced by the purchase decision of Halal food products amongst non-Muslim consumers in Malaysia. Apart from that, the acculturation effect moderates the relationship between attitude and intention to purchase.Research limitations/implicationsThis finding will contribute to academics, Halal food makers and government in understanding the Halal food purchase intention amongst non-Muslim consumers in Malaysia.Practical implicationsThe outcome of this study can be used as an input for Halal entrepreneurship in terms of marketing and operation strategy. On the government aspect, this study also provides an implication on national public policy and strategic economic planning in developing overall national Halal policy.Social implicationsThe social harmonization amongst the multiple races in Malaysia is partially contributed through the acculturation effect. The acculturation effect has been reflected through the food choice decision amongst Malaysian, despite of different religious belief and home culture background.Originality/valueResearch in studying Halal food purchase intention amongst non-Muslim consumers are scarce. This research is able to reinforce the theory of planned behavior model in dealing with Halal food choice decisions, taking into consideration of acculturation effect.

From Metropolitanization to Megaregionalization: Intentionality in the Urban Restructuring of Java’s North Coast, Indonesia

This paper examines the intentionality behind the emergence of megaregion in Indonesia’s reinvented developmentalist state tradition. Illustrated by the case of Java, this paper explores the role of regional planning in facilitating megaregion emergence. It reveals that sectoral and ad hoc national planning policies, although not intentionally aimed to guide spatial development, implicitly promote the emergence of this megaregion. This is particularly registered in the construction of megaprojects aimed at increasing regional competitiveness through the improvement of interregional connectivity and facilitating exurbanization through the building of in-between cities.

Understanding how corporations both drive &amp; use neoliberalism to block progress in public health

Abstract This paper examines the role of corporations in the creation and utilisation of think tanks, lobby ventures and front groups, both nationally and internationally. It examines how these were implicated in the introduction of neoliberalism in the 1970s/80s. It briefly tells the story of the development of the Mont Pelerin Society and how its acolytes 'littered the world' with free market think tanks which then did battle in the struggle to introduce neoliberalism. It examines how this led to the 'disembedding' (Polanyi 1944) of political and economic elites from society via the rise and maturation of a wide range of intermediary institutions and organisations including three main kinds of groups: National and transnational policy planning groups; Think tanks and think tank networks; lobbying and public relations consultancies. This part of the paper concludes by examining the role of those industrial sectors that have had the most significant Public Health footprint in the neoliberal revolution, in each of the three kinds of groups mentioned above. The paper then turns to the concrete advantages that these ongoing changes gave specific corporate actors with negative public health effects

Medical Overuse in the Iranian Healthcare System: A Systematic Scoping Review and Practical Recommendations for Decreasing Medical Overuse During Unexpected COVID-19 Pandemic Opportunity.

PurposeTo perform an inclusive search for original studies that report medical overuse in the Iranian healthcare system and discovering the area of overuse.Patients and MethodsA systematic search of the literature is conducted in bibliographic databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Cochrane and Scientific Information Database using a comprehensive search strategy without time limit until the end of 2018, updated by 1 July 2020, accomplished by reference tracking, author contacting and expert consultation to identify studies on the overuse of medical care.ResultsWe reviewed 4124 published articles based on predetermined inclusion criteria. The author’s consensus included a total of 41 articles. Of these, 32 were in English and 9 in Farsi, published between 1975–2019. The result categorized into two distinct clinical areas: treatment (18 articles) and diagnostic (23 articles) services. Almost all of the studies only described the magnitude of unnecessary overuse. Unnecessary overuse of antibiotics, MRI, and CT-scan were the most reported topics. The ranges of their overuse proportion were as follows: antibiotic (31 to 97%); MRI (33 to 88%), and CT-scan (19 to 50%).ConclusionOur review showed, even so, the magnitude of unnecessary overuse of medical services is high but there are only a few interventional studies in clinical and administrative level for finding effective methods for decreasing these unnecessary services. Researchers should be encouraged to conducting interventional studies. We suggest the ministry of health to use the golden opportunity of COVID-19 epidemic for designing Iran national policy and action plan for controlling and preventing unnecessary healthcare services and including a section for “Interventional Research” in the action plan.

National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance: stakeholder analysis of implementation in Ghana

Background Understanding potential barriers to implementation of public health policy is important to ensure well-informed decisions, and stakeholders play critical roles in implementation. Stakeholder analysis is expected to shed light on Ghana’s progress with the implementation of the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance since the completion of the Global Health Security Agenda’s Joint External Evaluation. The outcome of stakeholder analysis can improve understanding of their roles and institutional capacity to promote prudent use of antibiotics in populations at the community level. Methods Eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with participants of the Joint External Evaluation process, including personnel from the policy, research, and practice programs in Ghana’s public health sector. In-person interviews were conducted between September and October 2018 in the Greater Accra and Upper West regions. Results The analysis revealed four main themes: national burden of disease and antibiotic resistance, policy development, implementation barriers, and strategies. Ghana’s national antimicrobial policy and action plans to enhance public education and awareness align with the objectives of the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. All respondents expressed concern about the increasing proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which they attribute in part to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in local communities. Although Ghana has laws to regulate the sale of antibiotics, enforcement has been a major challenge. Inadequate funding for monitoring compliance comprises the greatest challenge. Stakeholders also acknowledged the importance of strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration, and the need to leverage resources from the animal and environmental sectors through a One Health approach to ensure successful implementation of the national action plan. Conclusions This study identified several opportunities for effective implementation of the Ghana’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. Stakeholders were enthusiastic about the effectiveness of the One Health approach, and there is strong political will to promote multisectoral partnership to advance implementation efforts.

Exploring the fast food and planning appeals system in England and Wales: decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).

Background:The National Planning Policy Framework advocates the promotion of ‘healthy communities’. Controlling availability and accessibility of hot food takeaways is a strategy which the planning system may use to promote healthier environments. Under certain circumstances, for example, local authorities can reject applications for new hot food takeaways. However, these decisions are often subject to appeal. The National Planning Inspectorate decide appeals – by upholding or dismissing cases. The aim of this research is to explore and examine the National Planning Inspectorate’s decision-making.Methods:The appeals database finder was searched to identify hot food takeaway appeal cases. Thematic analysis of appeals data was carried out. Narrative synthesis provided an overview of the appeals process and explored factors that were seen to impact on the National Planning Inspectorate’s decision-making processes.Results:The database search identified 52 appeals cases. Results suggest there is little research in this area and the appeals process is opaque. There appears to be minimal evidence to support associations between the food environment and health and a lack of policy guidance to inform local planning decisions. Furthermore, this research has identified non-evidence-based factors that influence the National Planning Inspectorate’s decisions.Conclusion:Results from this research will provide public health officers, policy planners and development control planners with applied public health research knowledge from which they can draw upon to make sound decisions in evaluating evidence to ensure they are successfully equipped to deal with and defend hot food takeaway appeal cases.

Using GIS to Explore the Potential of Business Rating Data to Analyse Stock and Value Change for Land Administration: A Case Study of York

This study explores the potential of GIS to map and analyse the distribution, stock and value of commercial and industrial property using rating data compiled for the purposes of charging business rates taxation on all non-residential property in the UK. Rating data from 2010, 2017 and 2019, comprising over 6000 property units in the City of York, were filtered and classified by retail, office and industrial use, before geocoding by post code. Nominal rateable values and floor areas for all premises were aggregated in 100 m diameter hexagonal grid and average rateable value calculated to reveal changes in the distribution and value of all employment floorspace in the City over the last decade. Temporospatial analysis revealed polarisation of York’s retail property market between the historic city centre and out-of-town locations. Segmenting traditional retail from food and drink premises revealed growth in the latter has mitigated the hollowing out of the city core. This study is significant in developing a replicable and efficient method of using GIS, using a nationally available rating dataset, to represent changes in the quantum, spatial distribution and relative value of employment floorspace over time to inform local and national land administration, spatial planning and economic development policy making.