Policy Development Research Articles

Exploring Legal Dynamics in Contemporary Migration with a Focus on Refugee and Migrant Rights

The phenomenon of migration poses a pressing quandary within the context of the global legal framework, heightened by persistent political instability and the repercussions of climate change. These factors compel a significant populace to seek alternative habitats, where they encounter varying degrees of success in the process of societal integration. The purpose of the article was to explore the legal aspects of migration processes in the modern world viewed through the lens of delineating the rights of refugees and migrants. With the use of rigorous scientific methods such as content analysis and comparison, this study elucidated the fundamental aspects of the migration dilemma. It demonstrated that the development of sound migration policies is of paramount importance in navigating this complex terrain. While initial international resolutions made general declarations, contemporary conventions provide detailed frameworks that, alongside national laws, establish the foundation for the assimilation of non-citizens into host societies. It was demonstrated that the increase in the number of migrants and displaced persons has led to a more detailed legal framework. While the initial international resolutions, such as those from the United Nations, primarily took a declarative stance, contemporary conventions exhibit a significantly more detailed approach. In conjunction with the legal norms of individual nations, these modern frameworks establish the foundation for the assimilation of recently arrived non-citizens into their host society. The results pointed out that this process took place according to the scheme of considering international standards and conventions on the migrants' and refugees' rights protection, which become the basis for the development of relevant provisions of national legislation. Consequently, in order to address migration comprehensively, the findings underscored the need to promote inter-state legal cooperation. The global community can progress towards achieving a fairer and more sustainable resolution of migration challenges by embracing a framework centered on inter-state legal cooperation. In addition to highlighting the current state of the law, the study argued for the development of innovative solutions to address the complexity of migration in the interconnected world.

The Human Resources Competency Development as the Key to Organizational Success in Indonesia

Purpose: HR competency development is essential for organizational success in Indonesia, examining current practices and impacting organizational performance. Theoretical Framework: The study is grounded in the Human Resource Management (HRM) literature, precisely the concept of HR competency development. This framework suggests that developing HR competencies, such as strategic thinking, leadership, and communication, can improve organizational performance, including increased employee engagement, productivity, and profitability. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design is a qualitative study that involves in-depth interviews with HR professionals from various industries in Indonesia. The data collected from the interviews will be analyzed using content analysis to identify themes related to HR competency development practices and their impact on organizational success. Findings: The study's findings are expected to provide insights into the current state of HR competency development in Indonesian organizations and the impact of HR competency development on organizational success. The findings will highlight the importance of HR competency development for organizational success in Indonesia. Research, Practical & Social Implications: This research has implications for research, practice, and society. It will provide empirical evidence on the impact of HR competency development on organizational success in Indonesia, inform HR professionals and leaders about its importance, and lead to the development of HR policies and programs to improve the skills and competencies of Indonesian workers. Originality/Value: This study focuses on HR competency development in Indonesia, which has yet to receive much attention in the existing literature. It will provide practical insights for HR professionals and organizational leaders.

Cultural institutions as knowledge-intensive public organisations (KIPOs) and their role: how digitalisation can change them providing sustainable and accessible public services

PurposeThis exploratory research seeks to clarify the role of cultural organisations as knowledge-intensive public organisations (KIPOs) and the trend of digital content creation in museum sectors and national strategies through a country case study. It aims to provide a deeper understanding and analysis of museums' roles as KIPOs, specifically focusing on their digitalisation and digital content development for service delivery. Digital technology utilisation in the museum sector has amplified the significance of digital content, not only because of the increasing use of digital technologies among the public but also because it provides attractive new content to appeal to customers, as well as more efficient knowledge management and knowledge reproduction tools for KIPOs. Thus, this paper analyses digital content creation in the museum sector and policy frameworks to provide insights into the role of museums as KIPOs by utilising digital technologies.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted literature review on six keywords, combination of “cultural institution”, “museum”, “digitalization”, “digital content”, and “ICT” to understand the digitalisation of museums amongst academic papers, then used a case study to figure out the common issues as well as case-specific features of these digital offerings through analysis of the digital platforms of museums. Specifically, we choose the case of South Korea, its national strategies and budget allocations and the museum sectors in the country. Thus, the secondary data analysis was provided by the official channels, such as documents from government agencies, media sources, such as articles from newspapers and magazines and academic works of literature, such as papers in scientific journals.FindingsThis paper reveals the research trend in museums' digitalisation, especially through the case study, how the South Korean government has argued digital content development in museum sectors through their national strategies and budget allocations, and the trend of museums' digital offerings since 2021. This paper thus presents a novel contribution to the field by delving into the research trend in digitalisation and digital content development in the museum sector and analysing the South Korean government's national strategies and budget allocation in this context. The literature review shows that the digitalisation of museums has increased research interest in the last few years in limited areas. South Korea has allocated budgets and policies to encourage digital content creation in museums, and this study identifies an increase in digital content creation in the museum sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper chose one-country case study, that of South Korea; thus, there are representative limitations and thus in terms of generalisation of the results. Further research with case studies from other countries and comparative studies are required.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the importance of digitalisation and digital content development in the museum sector through government policies, strategies and financial investment.Social implicationsIt highlights the importance of digitalisation and the introduction of digital contents amongst museums to gain new visitors and change the relationship between the institutions and the customers.Originality/valueIt deals with the digitalisation of museums as KIPOs and it is a new and relevant topic per se. This study enhances the understanding of the museum sector’s digital content development and national policies to support its activities. It provides insights into the utilisation of digital technologies in cultural institutions for digital service delivery in public organisations.

Global burden and socioeconomic impact of knee osteoarthritis: a comprehensive analysis.

To report the trend changes of the prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) according to age, sex, sociodemographic index (SDI), and income. This analysis used estimates from the broader Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019, which covered 201 countries from 1990 to 2019. National prevalence, incidence, and DALYs were shown by using ggplot2 and maps packages. Five-year intervals were used for age groupings. The Commonwealth and the World Bank income classifications were used for income grouping. Globally, there were ~364.58 million prevalent cases (females: 225.16 million), 29.51 million incident cases (females: 17.53 million), and 11.53 million DALYs (females: 7.09 million) due to KOA in 2019. The Western Pacific Region had a high endemicity of ~7,319.87 cases per 100,000 people (7.64%). Japan's prevalence rate (12,610.12 cases per 100,000 population) was 10 times that of Somalia (1,178.23) in 2019. In 200 countries (except the United Arab Emirates), the prevalence, incidence, and DALY rates of KOA in 2019 were higher among females than among males and increased with age up to the oldest age group. The prevalence was highest in the high-middle SDI countries, and the incidence and DALYs were highest in the middle SDI countries. There was a large burden of KOA worldwide, with some notable intercountry variation. Some countries had 10 times the burden of other countries. Increasing population awareness regarding the prevalence, incidence, and DALYs of KOA with a focus on the population in the Western Pacific Region is needed, particularly for older females. informs health policy development, and contributes to improving the efficiency, equity, and effectiveness of healthcare systems.

Analyzing the hydrogen energy development policies of leading countries

Subject. The article investigates the development of hydrogen production technologies and use of renewable energy sources. Objectives. The focus is on assessing prospects for hydrogen energy development in the USA, Russia, China, and Germany. Methods. The study employed methods of comparative analysis. Results. We established that the development of hydrogen energy promotes carbon neutrality and the shaping of energy structure of the future. Conclusions. The cost of hydrogen production remains the main problem that hinders the widespread use of hydrogen energy.

Business environment and adoption of AI: Navigation for internationalization by new ventures in emerging markets

AbstractThis study explores the intersection of international business and artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on how new ventures navigate environmental challenges for international expansion within Africa's transportation sector. Despite a wealth of literature on AI in developed countries, a notable gap exists in the understanding of the challenges emerging economies face in implementing AI practices, particularly in the context of Africa‐to‐Africa internationalization. The current study delved into the transformative potential of AI, identifying institutional voids as opportunities for innovation on the continent. Employing the Technology Organization and Environment framework, the study investigated the adoption of AI technology in the African business environment. Qualitative data gathered through interviews with transport tech startup founders across Africa provided insights into technological innovation, institutional dynamics, and market peculiarities. The founders recognized hurdles such as data scarcity, human resource constraints, and regulatory obstacles amid institutional voids. The study underscores the importance of understanding expectations, balancing possibilities and realities, and fostering collaboration. It offers valuable insights into the complexities faced by and opportunities for new ventures leveraging AI in internationalization, with practical implications for strategic AI implementation, policy development, market expansion, technology solutions, and cross‐border transportation within Africa's unique business landscape.

Alcohol policy development in Sierra Leone: An assessment of the role of civil society

Objective: To assess the value addition of civil society collaboration with Government in the development of Sierra Leone’s National Alcohol Policy (NAP). Policy Development Process: We reviewed the entire process of lobby, advocacy, and support for the development of the NAP from 2015 when the Siera Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance (SLAPA) was formed to the launch of the NAP in 2023. It also assesses the level of collaboration between FoRUT, SLAPA and Ministry of Health of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). The MoHS coordinated the policy formulation process with substantive technical support from civil society. Results: The quality of the NAP was rated high as it reflected appropriate policy areas and interventions from the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, the WHO SAFER initiative, and the Global Action Plan for Alcohol Control (202-2030). The NAP is a solid reference material for the development of a new alcohol bill. MoHS recognized FoRUT and SLAPA as the national champions for alcohol control in the country. FoRUT, directly and through SLAPA influenced the process of developing the NAP and its quality through advocacy, collaboration and technical and financial support. Conclusions: The development of the NAP in Sierra Leone truly reflects civil society-government collaboration, built on mutual trust and a common health and development agenda. Connecting national level lobby and advocacy with regional global advocacy actions to prioritize, influence, support, and monitor the alcohol control agenda is a critical catalyst for civil society to advancing the development of NAPs.

An Indigenous Strengths-based Theoretical Framework

ABSTRACT This article explores the inadequate recognition and integration of the strengths of Indigenous 1 people in direct practice, policy development, and research. To address this concern, I present an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework designed to recognise and illuminate the diverse strengths inherent in Indigenous people and communities. The ongoing structure of colonisation often presents challenges for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and others collaborating with Indigenous people to adopt a strengths-based approach. Unfortunately, well-intentioned collaborators, especially non-Indigenous allies, often succumb to deficit-based thinking and simplistic binary comparative analysis. This article draws inspiration from Dennis Saleebey's (2023) six-step, strengths-based approach, integrating it with a micro, meso, and macro framework and Indigenous Standpoint Theory. The result is an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework that embraces a strengths-based approach within the context of Indigenous cultures and world views. This framework fosters the identification and development of Indigenous strengths in a respectful and culturally safe manner. IMPLICATIONS A strengths-based approach must supersede the deficit discourse that continues to be a defining feature of how social workers, allied health professionals, researchers, and policymakers interact with Indigenous Australians. This article draws inspiration from Saleebey’s (2023. The strengths perspective in social work practice: Extensions and cautions. In Social work (pp. 230–235). Routledge) six-step approach to a strengths perspective, combined with a systems theory framework and an Indigenous standpoint, and can assist in (re)defining Indigenous strength-based practice.

Dating apps as health allies? Examining the opportunities and challenges of dating apps as partners in public health

In recent years, dating apps have become important allies in public health. In this paper, we explore the implications of partnering with dating apps for health promotion. We consider the...

Promoting child welfare and supporting families in Europe: Multi-dimensional conceptual and developmental frameworks for national family support systems

Family members across Europe are currently experiencing a range of socio-economic adversities, as well as health and welfare risks. These issues are particularly challenging in the context of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, increasing poverty, socio-economic disadvantages, and societal and technological transformation. Consequently, there is an ongoing and pressing need to provide effective support for families in response to their diverse needs and circumstances. However, European governments have diverse political persuasions regarding social and family policies and operate in differentiated and complex contexts. Such factors influence their approaches to, and configurations of, family support policies and provisions. This article investigates the conceptualisation and development of family support policies and provisions, and proposes a multi-dimensional, multi-modal, and multi-level conception of formal family support. It also provides a framework for analysing and developing family support and highlights challenges that arise within and across the relevant ‘policy, provision and practice’ domains while promoting a participatory ethos.

Tradescantia response to air and soil pollution, stamen hair cells dataset and ANN color classification.

Tradescantia plant is a complex system that is sensible to environmental factors such as water supply, pH, temperature, light, radiation, impurities, and nutrient availability. It can be used as a biomonitor for environmental changes; however, the bioassays are time-consuming and have a strong human interference factor that might change the result depending on who is performing the analysis. We have developed computer vision models to study color variations from Tradescantia clone 4430 plant stamen hair cells, which can be stressed due to air pollution and soil contamination. The study introduces a novel dataset, Trad-204, comprising single-cell images from Tradescantia clone 4430, captured during the Tradescantia stamen-hair mutation bioassay (Trad-SHM). The dataset contain images from two experiments, one focusing on air pollution by particulate matter and another based on soil contaminated by diesel oil. Both experiments were carried out in Curitiba, Brazil, between 2020 and 2023. The images represent single cells with different shapes, sizes, and colors, reflecting the plant's responses to environmental stressors. An automatic classification task was developed to distinguishing between blue and pink cells, and the study explores both a baseline model and three artificial neural network (ANN) architectures, namely, TinyVGG, VGG-16, and ResNet34. Tradescantia revealed sensibility to both air particulate matter concentration and diesel oil in soil. The results indicate that Residual Network architecture outperforms the other models in terms of accuracy on both training and testing sets. The dataset and findings contribute to the understanding of plant cell responses to environmental stress and provide valuable resources for further research in automated image analysis of plant cells. Discussion highlights the impact of turgor pressure on cell shape and the potential implications for plant physiology. The comparison between ANN architectures aligns with previous research, emphasizing the superior performance of ResNet models in image classification tasks. Artificial intelligence identification of pink cells improves the counting accuracy, thus avoiding human errors due to different color perceptions, fatigue, or inattention, in addition to facilitating and speeding up the analysis process. Overall, the study offers insights into plant cell dynamics and provides a foundation for future investigations like cells morphology change. This research corroborates that biomonitoring should be considered as an important tool for political actions, being a relevant issue in risk assessment and the development of new public policies relating to the environment.

Вспышка ВИЧ-инфекции в конце 1980-х гг. на юго-востоке РСФСР: политика советского государства в борьбе с эпидемией (на материалах Калмыцкой АССР)

Introduction. The study provides a first insight into the official Soviet policy and anti-HIV nationwide arrangements (1985–1990), and reviews the 1988–1989 HIV outbreak in the southeast of the RSFSR. The paper’s chronological framework covers the era of dramatic political and socioeconomic changes and restructuring endeavors commonly referred to as ‘perestroika’. Goals. The study attempts a comprehensive analysis to identify some features of the policy pursued by Soviet executives and healthcare agencies in the face of the emerging HIV threat throughout the mid-to-late 1980s. The work focuses on the activities of government institutions, certain measures, preventive and anti-epidemic arrangements, as well as the efforts of a special commission for organizational and practical assistance to Soviet Kalmykia’s Ministry of Health. Materials and methods. The study rests on the fundamental principles of systemacity, objectivity, historicism and complexity that have proved instrumental in analyzing documentary sources and comparing the obtained materials; describing the development and changes in official HIV-related policy; examining social, political and economic shifts across the regions under consideration as integral to what was being experienced nationwide; articulating objective evaluations of the Soviet government’s policy pertaining to the epidemic. The article primarily investigates a variety of newly discovered documents from the National Archive of Kalmykia and State Archive of the Russian Federation. Results. The arrived HIV served an indicator that would test the strength of Soviet healthcare system, and the latter — like the whole country — was not ready to fight the ‘plague of the twentieth century’. The adopted anti-epidemic policy proved inefficient. Meanwhile, the limited access to research, established practices of secrecy, and incompetence of the country’s leadership had negative impacts on the struggle against the dangerous disease. The then changes did negatively affect such an important social sphere as healthcare, which led to a severe decline of what once had been a leading public health system of the world.

Assessing the impact of natural capital and innovation on sustainable development in developing countries

Natural capital is a central consideration for developing informed policies for economic growth and sustainable development; however, the proportion of human capital, natural capital, and produced capital in inclusive wealth has been rapidly evolving. These forms of capital may have varying impact on sustainable development compared with aggregate inclusive wealth. This study uses panel data from 53 developing countries covering 2011 to 2022 to analyze how human, natural, and produced capital impact sustainable development, including associated innovation. We apply multiple econometric algorithms for empirical analysis, including Bayesian linear regression, Bayesian truncated regression, and a frequentist approach. The results reveal that human capital, innovation, green energy, political stability, and the absence of violence positively impact countries’ sustainable development. In contrast, natural and produced capital negatively impact sustainable development. The findings indicate that additional investment in human capital and innovation, green energy adoption, natural resource conservation, and modernizing produced capital will advance sustainable development in developing countries.

Assessing the market opportunities for pesticide-free vegetables in Bangladesh: consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay

The excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture poses threats to ecosystems and human health. To mitigate these risks, researchers have turned their attention to pesticide-free production methods. This study aimed to assess the market opportunities for pesticide-free vegetables (PFVs) through determining consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP), along with identifying factors influencing consumers' WTP decision in three major cities of the country, namely Dhaka, Khulna, and Mymensingh. Employing a multistage cluster sampling method, 150 samples were selected and data collection utilized the android-based app Kobo through direct interviews. The contingent valuation method (CVM) and double-bounded dichotomous choice model (DBDC) were used to estimate WTP and preferences while ordered logit model were employed to identify influencing factors. The findings indicated that over 90% of consumers in Mymensingh and over 92% in Dhaka and Khulna were willing to pay a premium for pesticide-free tomatoes and brinjal. Additionally, more than 18% and 19% of consumers expressed willingness to pay a 20% premium for brinjal and tomato, while over 39% were willing to pay for both a 10% premium. The study revealed that factors such as age, sex, education, household size, and income significantly influenced consumers’ WTP decisions, with age showing a negative correlation, while education and income were positively associated with interest in consuming pesticide-free vegetables. Overall, the study underscores the increasing demand for pesticide-free vegetables in urban areas, emphasizing the need for governments and stakeholders to develop supportive policies for sustainable market development. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 11, No. 1, April 2024: 69-77

Decision-making for road infrastructures in a network based on a policy gradient method

Developing proper maintenance and rehabilitation investment plans is vital for prolonging the service life of road infrastructures while preserving required service level under capital constraints. This paper proposes a reinforcement learning approach for determining an optimal policy of selecting maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation alternatives for a network of road infrastructure facilities. The proposed approach is based on a policy gradient method and overcomes the computational complexity of optimization problems due to a large number of possible combinations of the network conditions and maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation alternatives. The developed optimal management policy takes into consideration interdependencies among infrastructure facilities in a road network. Numerical studies on concrete bridge decks in road networks are performed to demonstrate the advantage, feasibility, and capability of the proposed approach.

Advancing air quality forecasting in Abu Dhabi, UAE using time series models

This research enhances air quality predictions in Abu Dhabi by employing Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models on comprehensive air quality data collected from 2015 to 2023. We collected hourly data on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM10), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from 19 well-placed ground monitoring stations. Our approach utilized ARIMA models to forecast future pollutant levels, with extensive data preparation and exploratory analysis conducted in R. Our results found a significant drop in NO2 levels after 2020 and the highest levels of particulate matter observed in 2022. The findings of our research confirm the effectiveness of the models, indicated by Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) values ranging from 7.71 to 8.59. Additionally, our study provides valuable spatiotemporal insights into air pollution historical evolution, identifying key times and areas of heightened pollution, which can help in devising focused air quality management strategies. This research demonstrates the potential of ARIMA models in precise air quality forecasting, aiding in proactive public health initiatives and environmental policy development, consistent with Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030.

I married a Traveller: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the lived experiences of women marrying into the Travelling community and its impact to their identity

Policy developments associated with increased lifestyle-related regulations have compelled Travellers to re-assess their social worlds and adapt accordingly. Adopting a social constructionist epistemological stance, this qualitative study drew upon the Identity Process Theory, alongside Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a broad framework to (1) explore the way in which non-Traveller women experience a sense of community integration upon marrying into the Traveller community, (2) to explicate the extent to which their experiences of integration impact upon their own identity, and (3) to develop an understanding of how these lived experiences inform the changes within Traveller culture through the process of integration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women aged between 28–42 years living within the UK. Guided by the principles of IPA, three superordinate themes, each consisting of two subordinate themes emerged from the analysis: ‘Joining the culture’, ‘Cultural Clashes’, and ‘Changes to the self’. The findings highlighted that participant’s experienced interpersonal conflict and continuous negotiations between continuity and discontinuity, that had either positive or negative impacts to their individual identity. This paper has important implications for professionals who aim to provide support and enhance the overall wellbeing of individuals living between these two contrasting cultures.

Inclusive development policy research: research identification, and future agenda

Inclusive development policy research: research identification, and future agenda

Economic Efficiency of Agriculture in Punjab: Evidence from Cost of Cultivation Survey

Understanding the economic efficiency of agriculture production in Punjab is an interest of this study. The Cost of Cultivation Survey data set for the block period 2014–15 to 2016–17 has been used. Data envelopment analysis deterministic approach has been applied to measure production efficiency. The estimation showed that in the case of wheat, 73 per cent of tehsils and in the case of paddy, 77 per cent of tehsils in Punjab are found to be inefficient in crop production due to poor input utilisation (managerial inefficiency) and scale size (scale inefficiency). But the higher proportion of inefficiency is mainly attributed to the non-optimal scale of production as compared to pure technical allocation. The farmers can increase their production level on average by 7–17 per cent through improving farm efficiency. Findings showed that farmers are allocating their input resources in an exploitative manner due to which they failed to use an appropriate combination of inputs, which is necessary to achieve cost minimisation. These findings have important implications for agricultural development policy and are likely to offer some useful insights for the adequate use of scarce sources. JEL Codes: C33, C67, Q10, Q15

Does industrial sustainable development policy act as a booster for urban economic growth? Evidence from China's eco‐industrial parks

AbstractEco‐industrial parks (EIPs), which reduce pollution and transform the industrial sector to be more environmentally benign, represent the industrial sustainable development policy. However, little research has concentrated on its economic effects. We explore the impacts of 93 national demonstration EIPs on urban economic development using time‐varying difference‐in‐difference, based on panel data from 330 Chinese cities from 1995 to 2018. We show that EIPs have contributed to an economic growth range between 7.47% and 7.61% in pilot cities, with robustness considering price deflators and alternative satellite data on night lights. Structure, technological, and scale effects help explain the mechanisms. Further estimates show that EIPs have had mixed success in addressing the resource curse, where they only alleviate the curse for growing resource‐based cities. We argue that the industrial sustainable development policy not only conveys significant economic benefits but also holds the potential to address the resource curse.