Partnership Arrangements Research Articles

Growing transnational partnership educational provision via a Learning Development strategy: possibilities and pitfalls

Educational provision within transnational partnerships arrangements has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. This lightning talk focused on the creation of a Professional Development Series (PDS) initiative in the transnational educational partnership work at London Metropolitan University designed to strengthen cooperative, dialogic practice and to embed a strong communities of practice approach (Wenger, 1998) within partnership work. The PDS programme ran in the autumn of 2023 with hourly sessions roughly twice a month. It sought to bring together partnership educators from all backgrounds (including frontline teaching educators, library staff educators and educators in quality and governance) and included education-focused sessions (‘Evaluating the quality of learning and teaching’ and ‘Supporting learners who are struggling with their studies’), research-focused sessions (‘Understanding research ethics’ and ‘Exploring quantitative research’), graduation-focused sessions (‘Embedding employability in HE curricula’), and a session dedicated to partnership work (‘Working successfully in partnerships’). Conroy’s lightning talk outlined the starting points and principles underlying the PDS before discussing how to design and run Learning Development initiatives in transnational education, including points around initial reconnaissance work, pragmatics, tone, and how to foster dialogue and interaction within session spaces. Attention then turned to evaluating what may amplify or diminish the success and impact of such programmes and finally raised discussion points intended to spur debate among conference delegates around the boundaries, parameters, and desirable points of emphasis for Learning Development initiatives in transnational educational provision.

Critical Success Factors for Public–Private Partnerships in Urban Regeneration Projects

Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements are used in different sectors in the provision of infrastructure and public services. The use of PPP agreements in urban regeneration projects, although more recent, has been gaining prominence in different contexts. However, in many cases, PPP projects have a controversial implementation, often not achieving the proposed objectives and presenting negative results. Their controversial implementation is the result of a lack of knowledge and lack of application of the best practices and Critical Success Factors (CSFs) associated with them. Based on this, the present study aims to identify and analyze the CSFs for PPP arrangements in urban regeneration projects. The study was conducted in two distinct parts. The first part consists of a literature review on the PPP CSFs in general. The second part consists of the development of a questionnaire seeking to identify the CSFs of PPP arrangements for urban regeneration projects. Based on the literature review and the questionnaire answers, the main success factors of PPP projects for urban regeneration were identified and structured in the framework with five main clusters: two related to the external environment (enabling environment and exogenous factors) and three related to the internal environment (preparation phase, procurement phase, and contract management phase).

Fisheries Co-management and Conflict Management in Inland Openwater Fisheries in Bangladesh

Abstract Community based management of inland openwater fisheries in Bangladesh has introduced and practiced through the Community Based Fisheries Management (cbfm) approach with partnership arrangement of government and non-government organisations, fisher communities and other stakeholders. One of the principles behind the community based fisheries management is to improve fisheries conflict management and its resolution. The implementation of the cbfm approach has experienced a significant contribution towards fishers’ conflict management. cbfm arrangement introduced fisher led, community led and women led approaches. Community based organisations (cbo s) as local institutions have been established through community participation under cbfm approach to mitigate conflict and its reducing and resolution. This paper assesses the impact of cbfm approaches on fishers’ conflict management in inland openwater fisheries in Bangladesh. It identifies the nature and causes of conflicts and develops ways of communicating good practice and reducing conflicts through fisheries co-management arrangement. This study might have policy implication to scale up cbfm approaches to promote fishers’ conflict resolution and its affective management of inland open water fisheries with a long- term commitment.

Optimal financing of highly innovative projects under double moral hazard

A model is proposed for analyzing the financing of highly innovative projects undertaken by an investor and an entrepreneur as partners. It is shown that the optimal contract rewards the entrepreneur for success and failure but penalizes him for moderate returns. This theoretical scheme can be implemented by a hybrid financial structure that combines inside and outside equity and that is subsequently balanced by means of a reassignment mechanism contingent upon the project’s returns. Two settings are compared, one in which either of the partners innovates but not both (single moral hazard) and another in which both partners do (double moral hazard). We show that which setting is best depends on the degree of technological dependence between the partners’ innovation processes. This may explain the coexistence in practice of different financing and partnership arrangements.

Adult Sports Participation and Physical Activity: How About Curling?

Despite its well-documented physical and psychosocial benefits, sport remains the least engaged form of physical activity (PA) among adults. Many adults may lack the skills needed to play or continue to play sports and aging adults are more likely to avoid participation for fear of poor performance or injury. A sport that shows great promise for adults seeking new sports participation outlets is curling. Curling is a team sport comprised of four interchangeable positions working collectively to deliver granite stones across a sheet of ice in an effort to outscore the opponent team. While it seems reasonable that walking on ice, “throwing” a 44 lb granite stone across a sheet of ice, and periodically sweeping while walking on ice over a two-hour period would generate at least a moderate amount of physical activity, research to date is quite limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to objectively measure the amount and intensity of PA achieved by average recreational curling participants during a typical curling match. Methods Members of a curling club in NC were asked to wear Actigraph Accelerometers (model GT3X) while they participated in their regularly scheduled curling match. All participants had at least one year of curling experience. Curling matches lasted between 90 and 120 minutes. Participants were asked to indicate their age, gender, and curling position during the match (lead, second, vice, skip) which were matched with accelerometer data. Results Overall, 110 participants (37 female, 73 male, avg. age 50 yrs) spent most of their curling time in light or moderate-intensity activity (18.1% Sedentary; 49.5% light; 32.4% moderate; .03% vigorous). In terms of minutes, the average participant spent 35.9 minutes engaged in Moderate-to-Vigorous PA (MVPA) per curling experience. This represents 23.9% of the weekly 150min of MVPA suggested by the CDC. The second position had the highest percentage of moderate activity level and a small percentage of vigorous activity. No other position reached a vigorous level. The skip position had the highest amount of sedentary activity as well as light activity. Females had a higher level of moderate activity in comparison to males. However, males reached a small amount of vigorous activity. The age group of 18 - 36 had the highest amount of moderate activity and the lowest amount of sedentary activity. This age group reached an average of 41.0 minutes of MVPA per curling experience. The age group of > 58 had the highest amount of sedentary activity and the lowest amount of moderate activity. Conclusions Curling may be a good sports participation option for adults looking for alternatives to meet recommended weekly amounts of MVPA. Participants should consider playing in one of the first three positions to maximize the amount and intensity of PA achieved while playing. Furthermore, since curling also requires balance, coordination, muscular strength, multitasking, strategic reasoning, and can cater to most physical challenges without compromising the integrity of the game, it may be an ideal sport to promote for adults of all ages and sport abilities. Implications for Practice and Policy Findings should be used to inform strategies for promoting curling as an opportunity for team sport involvement that has the added value of contributing to daily physical activity. However, , access and opportunities to play, especially for underserved populations, are limited. Given that most curling clubs in America are private and require a membership to play. Partnership arrangements between existing clubs and public parks and recreation departments could increase both access and opportunities to play.

Barriers and facilitators to implementation of the Ethiopian national cancer control plan strategies: Implications for cervical cancer services in Ethiopia.

Following an upsurge in cervical cancer incidence and mortality, Ethiopia developed its first National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) to support efforts toward the prevention and control of cancer. The NCCP outlines strategies for reducing the incidence of cancer through prevention, screening, early diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care. This study examined barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the NCCP using a qualitative approach. The study entailed doing key informant interviews and reviewing secondary data. Using customized topic guidelines, fifteen interviews were conducted covering a wide range of topics, including political commitment, priority setting, interagency cooperation, the role of evidence, citizen empowerment, and incentives. All interviews were recorded (with consent), transcribed in Amharic, and then translated into English for thematic analysis. Review of secondary data focused on establishing the NCCP's implementation status for HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening, and treatment, and strategic links to five other national policy documents centered on public awareness, cervical cancer services, HPV immunization, and sexually transmitted infections control. We found that in 2022, 55% of eligible Ethiopian women were screened for cervical cancer (against the annual target), with roughly half of those with a positive result receiving treatment. Overall, 900,000 (8.4%) of the 10.7 million eligible women in the country underwent screening. The study revealed inadequate implementation of the NCCP strategies toward achieving the WHO's 90-70-90 cervical cancer targets by 2030. A key positive strategy was the involvement of high-ranking government officials in the National Cancer Committee, which aided the NCCP implementation. On the other hand, inadequate political support, funding constraints, suboptimal public messaging, lack of incentives, and inadequate partnership arrangements emerged as important barriers. We recommend that decision-makers intensify coordinated efforts, prioritize dealing with identified challenges and optimizing facilitators, and mobilize additional resources to enhance cervical cancer services in Ethiopia.

Partnership Disparity and Audit Quality

This study explores the effects of partnership disparity within Chinese audit firms on audit quality using novel data on their partnership arrangements. The results indicate a U-shaped relationship between the partnership disparity extent and the violations assessed by regulators, including financial misstatements of clients. Audit firms with mid-level unequal partnership structures achieve superior audit quality than their counterparts with either “flat” or “high-skewed” partnership structures. Additional analyses confirm the role of client complexity as the boundary condition and indicate that the geographical remoteness of audit firms asymmetrically moderates partnership disparity. These results are robust to different audit quality proxies and alternative research designs including change analyses and after controlling for the effects of engagement partners. This study contributes to research on diversity and performance in the partnership context. This approach opens the “black box” of power-related culture in audit firms and carries managerial implications for the managing partners and audit regulators of audit firms.

A paradox of size: Case-volume, financial outcomes, and risk in the enhancing oncology model baseline period.

e13809 Background: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) is a risk-bearing, population-based value-based care (VBC) model requiring participating physician group practices (PGP) to take financial risk and performance accountability for episodes of care for seven common cancers. We studied the association between case volume, financial outcomes, and risk in the EOM. Methods: Using deidentified public use EOM baseline episode files (2016 - 2020), and the EOM Price Prediction Model provided by CMMI, we calculated the predicted baseline price (BP) per episode and savings (difference between baseline price and actual expenditures (AE)), grouped PGPs per baseline period by episode count (case volume), and evaluated the risk (variation of savings). ANOVA, F-test, and pair-wise tests were used to evaluate statistical significance. Results: Two-thirds of the 16,348 PGP appearances per time-period (n) had <72 episodes (average: 93.8, median: 36). Table 1 shows population and savings metrics. There was a significant effect of episode counts on savings (ANOVA/F-test: F(5,16342) = 24.5, p<0.0005). Post hoc pair-wise t-tests (Holm correction to adjust p) indicated groups with <72 episodes had increased risk (4.5:1, p<0.0005) and >361 episodes had the least risk (p<0.0005). Groups with <72 episodes had four times the median savings than groups with >361 episodes. Conclusions: As expected with the law of large numbers, groups with fewer episodes are exposed to higher risk and extremes of financial outcomes in EOM-like models while paradoxically generating better savings. The impact of case-mix differences among groups is apt for further exploration. Differences in PGP dynamics and provider like-mindedness with care transformation is one possible explanation for this paradox. Future models should incorporate risk mitigating modeling techniques (case-volume adjustments) or facilitate easier partnering arrangements to engage groups with fewer episodes. [Table: see text]

Social And Cultural Implications of Live-In Relationships In India

Live-in relationships, is considered taboo in traditional Indian society, have gradually emerged as a significant phenomenon with far-reaching social and cultural implications. Live-in relationships, in modern Indian society, challenge traditional norms regarding partnership and familial arrangements. This form of cohabitation, wherein unmarried couples choose to live together in a relationship akin to marriage. Several factors contribute to the increasing acceptance of live-in relationships in India. Urbanization, globalization, and exposure to Western cultures through media have influenced Indian societal norms. Younger generations are more open to exploring alternative lifestyles and relationships. With more women entering the workforce and achieving financial independence, there a shift in attitudes towards traditional gender roles and marriage. Couples often prefer to test their compatibility before committing to marriage. This paper will cover social legal aspects of live-in relationships in India. Through amendments, the law has had enough of a chance to characterize these societal changes. It can't be static; while looking at the historical backdrop of how Hindu regulation developed, it is apparent that it was never static yet sporadically different to address the troubles introduced by moving cultural examples at different moments.

Rethinking rigour to embrace complexity in peacebuilding evaluation

The field of peacebuilding evaluation has evolved over time in response to the complex nature of peace efforts. However, it still predominantly relies on evaluation models that aim to measure discrete peace outcomes adhering to rigid notions of rigour. The inclusive rigour framework presented in this article responds to this challenge, adding to complexity-aware and epistemologically plural approaches to build credible causal explanations in conditions of uncertainty. It identifies three interconnected domains of evaluation design and practice: effective methodological bricolage, meaningful participation and inclusion, utilisation and impact. Rigour here is not defined by methodological choice alone, but rather, relies on an active view of evolving methodological choices throughout an iterative process as maximum use value and meaningful participation are sought. Using three cases, we highlight the critical role of partnership arrangements and associated evaluation cultures and mindsets underpinned by power dynamics that enable or hinder the practice of inclusive rigour.

Public–Private Partnering in Nuclear Reactor Development—Historical Review and Implications for Today

Abstract The dominant nuclear reactor technologies that comprise the current global operating fleet were developed and deployed over a relatively short, midtwentieth century, period spanning the 1950s and 60 s. Four of these technologies were deployed at fleet scales and commercially exported. The historical record indicates a remarkably consistent process of phased technology development that enabled the commercialization of designs that would define the global nuclear marketplace, beginning with research and development (R&D) and advancing through test reactors, small and large demonstration reactors, and first commercial-scale units. Following proof-of-principle R&D, historical commercialization lead times (from decision to construction of a demonstration reactor to first commercial launch) ranged from 12 to16 years for these four commercial technologies. Key factors contributing to successful commercialization included durable government support for early R&D and varying degrees of public–private partnering through commercial launch. This partnering included arrangements for technical support, siting, facility ownership, nuclear material provision, and cost sharing. The policy environment was characterized by unambiguous government support; stabile, effective and informed government program management and oversight; and flexibility in the public–private partnership arrangements to promote technology development and demonstration. Government advocacy was structured to support progressively increasing industry independence and self-sufficiency. This experience is documented and analyzed in this paper to provide salient lessons and example program elements for contemporary efforts to stimulate development and commercialization of a new generation of advanced nuclear technologies through collaboration and public–private partnerships.

Implementation of the empowerment model of female laborers on Arabica coffee processing industry in Bangli Regency, Bali Province

The Model Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) selection of the female laborers' empowerment strategy at UPH which refers to the results of the SWOT analysis shows that strengthening the competence of women laborers' is the main priority of empowerment as a solution to gap performance of female laborers' in the arabica coffee processing industry in Bali. Based on the model, the purpose of this research is to increase the capability of female laborers. The search for female laborers' empowerment needs using the method of appreciative inquiry, through (a) rapid research involving multidisciplinary teams; (b) in-depth interviews and direct observation; (c) Interactive Management sessions; (d) peer review. The main results of the implementation of strategies for strengthening female laborers capability in UPH Kintamani Indonesia are (a) achievement of capability outcome in technical and production management and processing, as well as in UPH institution management; (b) documents of infrastructure development needs in the UPH and roadmap of UPH development documents, SOPs (machine utilization and added value enhancements), and regulations on strategic partnership arrangements. Empowerment of female laborers in UPH Kintamani Indonesia needs to be continuously evaluated and the results are followed up to produce premium-quality Arabica coffee production processed in accordance with IG certification, supported by distinctive product design innovations to support business independence and partnership contract sustainability.

Exploring the trend of recognizing apple leaf disease detection through machine learning: a comprehensive analysis using bibliometric techniques

This study’s foremost objectives were to scrutinize how unexpected weather affects agricultural output and to assess how well AI-based machine learning and deep leaning algorithms work for spotting apple leaf diseases. The researchers carried out a bibliometric study to obtain understanding of the current research trends, citation patterns, ownership and partnership arrangements, publishing patterns, and other parameters related to early identification of apple illnesses. Comprehensive interdisciplinary scientific maps are limited because syndrome recognition is not restricted to any solitary arena of research, despite the fact that there have been many studies on the identification of apple diseases. By employing a scientometric technique and 109 publications from the Scopus database published between 2011 and 2022, this study attempted to assess the condition of the research area and combine knowledge frameworks. To find important journals, authors, nations, articles, and topics, the study used the automated processes of VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software. Patterns and trends were discovered using citation counts, social network analysis, and citation and co-citation studies.

Public reaction to public-private partnerships (PPPs): citizen assessments of four different types of PPPs and policy support

ABSTRACT Solving problems through collaborative efforts of public, private, and nonprofit groups has become more important in recent years. One type of public-private partnerships (PPPs) has been studied in some depth – government-business contracts for transportation infrastructure. Little is known, however, about other types of partnership arrangements that deal with other community issues or services and may involve different combinations of actors. And there is little information on how the public views any of the available PPP options and arrangements for possible transportation infrastructure design, development and implementation. This article focuses on the public's views of four PPP transportation infrastructure options. The overall results show that respondents’ do differentiate between types of PPPs and that respondents’ PPP preferences are associated with their views on community engagement policy on infrastructure.

The Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): The Case Of The Brics Countries

This research study provides a comparative examination of several partnership types and looks at how well public-private partnerships (PPPs) benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Finding the best strategies for fostering SME expansion is the goal. The paper examines how PPPs might support the development of SMEs, acknowledging their critical role in generating employment and economic progress. The research looks at governance structures, finance mechanisms, resource allocation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building as important elements influencing partnership success by analyzing several PPP models across different countries and industries. The report presents recommendations for decision-makers in government, business, and agency that support small and medium-sized enterprise development. It also sheds light on the advantages, disadvantages, and best practices of various partnership arrangements. The study adds to our understanding of PPPs and SME assistance while offering useful suggestions for improving public-private sector cooperation. The results have important ramifications for shaping public policy and directing the creation and execution of successful PPPs that assist SMEs and promote long-term economic growth and prosperity.

Reviving Public Service Delivery at the Grassroots through Public-Private Partnership in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

The paper examines the performance of local governments in Nigeria with special reference to their service delivery responsibilities. Local government is described as a veritable instrument of socio-economic development at the grassroots and it was for this purpose that it became constitutionally recognised as a level of government through the 1976 Local Government Reform. However, the capacity of the Nigerian local governments to carry out responsibilities assigned to them has been jaundiced by the unbridled attack on their finances by higher public authorities, particularly state governments. Specifically, local governments’ share of revenue from the federation account and other sources of revenue have regrettably been annexed by the state governments, thereby reducing local authorities to governments on papers only. Using the secondary sources of data, the article examines how local government service delivery responsibilities can be resuscitated through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The paper revealed general absence of standard framework for the adoption of PPP to tap into the available huge private investment for public service delivery at the grassroots. The paper recommends active collaboration of the stakeholders in grassroots development toward developing a standard framework for PPP to restore the status of Nigerian local governments as primary providers of public services.

Large investors’ involvement in Ireland's primary care centres

Abstract Background In 2001, Ireland announced a Primary Care Strategy that has led to the implementation of primary care centres (PCCs) throughout the country. This presentation examines the nature and extent of private sector involvement in establishing the PCC network since 2001, focusing on large global investors. Methods A dataset on all primary care centres in Ireland was constructed, comprising information on geographical location, the year that it became operational, and its delivery mode (public procurement, lease, or public-private partnership). A survey of large investment patterns was also conducted through the grey literature and news reports. Results By 2023, 172 PCCs are planned to be operational, developed through public, leased or public-private partnerships arrangements. Before 2009, PCCs were delivered by traditional public procurement, but since 2009, private delivery methods have been prioritized. Leased primary care centres have been attractive for large institutional investors attracted by stable rental income. This paper surveys the patterns and trends involved. Conclusions Trends in large multinational and domestic investments in the primary care market should be documented systematically because they have the potential to transform the existing PCC network and primary care system.

Cost of farm operations for major cereals in Nigeria

This study assessed the cost of farm operations for major cereals in Nigeria. Secondary data obtained from the Annual Agricultural Performance Survey Report of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) was used to compute the cost of 12 farm operations as well as the percentage change in the cost from 2021 to 2022. Results showed that the cost of farm operations for producing major cereals recorded a very high increase across the states in Nigeria. The percentage increase in the cost of farm operations for producing a hectare was higher for maize (25.4%) than rice (18.3%). Furthermore, the percentage increase in the cost of farm operations for producing a hectare of maize was higher in the Northern region (34.9%) than in the South (17.2%). For rice, the percentage increase was higher in the Southern region (21.8%) than in the North (13.7%). The cost of farm operations has generally increased thereby threatening food prices. Efficient tractor-hiring services should be made available at subsidized rates at all LGAs through public-private partnership arrangements in Nigeria.

An analysis of Australian online third-party arrangements: past, current and future

ABSTRACT This paper is a retrospective look at the last ten years of development in online third-party arrangements within the Australian higher education sector. A total of 42 higher education providers are reviewed. The analysis initially focuses on the state of online third-party arrangements in Australian higher education. It then investigates the current scale of partnership arrangements these universities have with third-party companies that offer education technology platforms to deliver online courses. The analysis indicates that online third-party arrangements are likely to grow in post COVID-19 context. However, despite the scale of the activities, this paper reveals that better data collection and reporting are needed to inform third-party education delivery at the national level. The paper highlights the need for universities to set and monitor standards for the courses delivered in an online third-party arrangement.

Towards an Integrated Approach to Solid Waste Management in Ghanaian Cities

Solid Waste Management (SWM) in cities has become a theme of utmost importance in urban geographycompared to studies in rural areas which have smaller population sizes and limited consumption optionsthat are relatively more manageable. Existing studies reveal that integration of formal and informal SWMactors is the needed mechanism to overcome SWM challenges. Integration is also at the heart of the 2012Ghana National Urban Policy, yet urban spaces are zoned under public-private partnership (PPP)arrangement with private formal SWM actors. How to integrate the burgeoning numbers of privateinformal SWM service providers still remains unaddressed owing to a host of disparate institutional,political, and socio-economic factors. Using field-based data collected in three open-air markets in Accra,this paper examines the integration pathways used to include informal SWM actors in the context of PPPand thence argues for the need to rethink current SWM approaches in a participatory manner since mostGhanaian cities are facing limited financial and infrastructural resources, growing inequalities andincreasing informality regarding urban metabolism flow.