Private Sector Representatives Research Articles

Implications of Ethiopia’s International Trade Negotiations and the Private Sector – An Overarching View

Ethiopia is currently involved in a number of international trade negotiations which will have a far-reaching impact on the Ethiopian economy. Negotiations take place both at the multilateral level (Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation) and inter-regionally (Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union). Regionally, studies are under way on the establishment of economic integration among members of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development and the Sana’a Forum for Co-operation. Finally, a decision will have to be taken regarding Ethiopia’s potential joining the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa’s (COMESA) Free Trade Area – which might be superseded by a Tripartite FTA combining the 26 members of COMESA, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC).Against this background, the paper pursues a number of objectives. First, it assesses the likely implications for the Ethiopian economy of the ongoing and planned international trade negotiations in which Ethiopia is involved. Second, the paper aims at helping develop a coherent strategy for all of Ethiopia’s current and international trade negotiations. Third, it raises awareness among the Ethiopian business community about the various international trade negotiations in which Ethiopia is involved and thus contributes to devising a positive and proactive agenda by forging consensus and commitment among private sector representatives and building a strategic partnership between public and private sector leaders in order to leverage regional and multilateral negotiations.

Tourism, Land Tenure and Poverty Alleviation in Fiji

Tourism has been proposed as a sustainable livelihood option for indigenous communities all around the world. In many of these communities poverty rates are high, and assets such as land may be held communally rather than by individuals. This raises the question, seldom discussed in the pro-poor tourism or tourism and development literature, of whether high rates of communal landownership are, in fact, conducive to sustainable and equitable participation of communities in the tourism industry. The authors examined this question using a case study of Fiji, the most successful tourism destination in the Pacific Islands and a country where 87 percent of land is still under communal tenure. Semi-structured interviews with government, private sector and community representatives revealed that the country has a legislative and policy framework through which landowning communities have experienced real benefits in deals negotiated with tourism developers. However, there exists wider tension between the desire to bring benefits to communities, enabling communities to have greater ownership and control over tourism, and a focus on pursuing conventional growth-orientated strategies. There is a clear need for tourism researchers to pay greater attention to communal land tenure systems and the ways in which they offer both impediments, and opportunities, for development and poverty alleviation.

The regeneration of Liverpool: Connections and disconnections in a ‘joined-up’ environment

Large areas of Liverpool have been undergoing regeneration in response to the city’s ongoing social and economic challenges. Within New Labour’s focus on ‘joined-up’ regeneration, this process has involved the use of a large number of single-purpose agencies, as well as other public, private and voluntary sector representatives. All of these organizations are then supposed to coordinate with each other, ensuring that there are no gaps or absences in the regeneration process. However, there are multiple issues that may affect the ability of organizations or spaces within the city to connect with each other. The research will focus on where connections and disconnections appear in the process, and explore the reasons for their occurrence. Regeneration is not a neutral activity; it is spatially and strategically selective, meaning that it may not be possible to coordinate all of the different regeneration projects, or neighbourhoods within a city. Priorities for regeneration are set at different levels, from national down to the local level, creating a structured and strategic context, meaning that some connections will be privileged over others. Regeneration is also implemented on many different scales, increasing the complexity of the process of ‘joining-up’. This article will present some initial results of research completed in Liverpool, examining the different strategies and complexities that are found within the regeneration process. The research will aim to open up issues around the complexity of coordinating different regeneration programmes and networks of urban policy. This will allow for an exploration of the debate around connections and disconnections that are created in ‘joined-up’ regeneration and also the political rationality of joining-up and its implementation in regeneration practice.

Does Russia need sex education? The views of stakeholders in three Russian regions

Objective To investigate the attitudes of the main stakeholders towards the introduction of sex education in schools in Russia. Design Qualitative semi-structured interview study. Setting Altai Krai, Volgograd Oblast, Moscow, Russian Federation. Participants One hundred and fifty-three interviews with Intersectoral HIV/AIDS Committee members, government officials responsible for HIV policies and interventions, non-governmental organisation and private-sector representatives. Main outcome measures Perception of and attitudes towards the introduction of sex education in schools. Results Ninety-one per cent of stakeholders welcomed the introduction of sex education in schools and emphasised its importance for a child's personal development, public health, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS control, and pregnancy planning. The majority of respondents suggested providing different information for each age and grade. Despite the claimed support of interviewed policy-makers and main HIV stakeholders, there has been no action to introduce sex education. The majority of respondents were of the view that wider positive support through propaganda about health, sex and healthy lifestyle should be gained prior to introducing sex education in schools by addressing the stigma surrounding sexual issues. Conclusions There was little opposition to the introduction of sex education in Russian schools expressed in our survey, but there are uncertainties regarding curriculum quality, teaching methods and the starting grade of teaching about sex, and there is a need to cover local sensitivities in the territories. These concerns could and should be addressed during curriculum design, development and programme implementation by the federal and local authorities. Wider involvement of educational specialists, peer-adults, health workers, celebrities and religious representatives in discussion of the curriculum could help prevent opposition to its implementation. Contribution to knowledge Discussion of sex-related topics has been taboo in Russia and there has been little research into opinions on issues related to sex education. The contribution of this research is in gaining theoretical in-depth understanding of the attitudes of the interviewed stakeholders in Russia about the introduction of sex education in schools.

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Arab Countries

The social role of companies has become increasingly important in the Arab countries, especially after the abdication of governments for many of the roles of economic and service, coupled with social programs was seen as something normal and expected in the absence of target-profit economic institutions run by governments. And corporate social responsibility has recently imposed itself strongly in the vicinity of economic relations, whether national or international. On the one hand, provoked acts of anti-globalization, since the mid-Tsainat the last century, especially after the World Trade Organization, the deep resonance with the giant multinationals about the role and new responsibilities in the face of the growing phenomenon of poverty and impoverishment in the world, as a result of strict application of international trade liberalization. On the other hand, re-organizations, international non-governmental business owners evaluate their activities and check the charters of its inception to remind members of their responsibilities as representatives of key private sector and symbols of the economics of the market in the era of globalization. It had been given a further discussion of this issue of importance and urgency that the obligations of corporate social responsibility does not necessarily mean certain segment of the national and international corporations, because the philosophy of this responsibility derived from the nature of the optional flexible and comprehensive. This study aims to shed light on the role of corporate social responsibility in the Arab States

Setting priorities for health spending in South Africa

A group of civil servants, medical researchers, academics and private sector representatives met in the Magaliesberg to consider this question in August. Their aim was to set the agenda for a study on priorities for health spending in the country, which the Gates Foundation has agreed to fund to the tune of $1.2 million. The goal of the project is to generate data that could provide the evidence for wiser policies specific to the South African context. The project-called PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost-Effective Lessons for Systems Strengthening)-will be part of a broader network of institutions in other developing countries, and is being hosted by the SA Medical Research Council / University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit.

Together Through Life—an exploration of popular music heritage and the quest for re-enchantment

ABSTRACTSet against the backdrop of the historical shift from modernity into postmodernity, this article explores the growing importance of music destination tourism for the baby boomer generation in their quest for personal and social meaning. The study is multidisciplinary in nature, drawing on writings on music tourism, consumer behaviour, sociology and various strands of the marketing literature. The focus of the study is the marketing of music heritage sites associated with a range of artists representative of the rock genre, namely Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and The Beatles. Findings draw on field visits consisting of participant observation and key informant interviews with stakeholders representing both commercial and not-forprofit organizations. They illustrate the iconic, even quasi-religious, nature of the representation of these artists through the staging of the sites, highlighting the importance of nostalgia, authenticity and sensitivity to the naturalistic nature of the experience. Marketing approaches and implications for experiential authenticity are discussed, and the views of private and public sector representatives contrasted.

Future Directions of Legal Harmonisation and Law Reform : Stormy Seas or Prosperous Voyage ?

The current context of the legal harmonisation process differs greatly from the conditions under which the process was started more than a century ago. Both rule-making and domestic implementation have become more complex. A wide range of tools may now be used to formulate and implement uniform rules. The aim of enhancing legal certainty and predictability is still the main driving force of international harmonisation efforts. However, experience with legal harmonisation and the growing interest in legal writings for the relationship between law and economics have produced additional arguments. Of particular relevance are arguments relating to the positive role of legal harmonisation and law reform in reducing transaction costs and facilitating business worldwide. Furthermore, the work of legal harmonisation now involves a large number of organisations – both governmental institutions and private sector representatives. Also, the rise of supranational organisations, of which the European Union provides the ultimate example, has added a new element to the law-making process, with possibly far-reaching consequences.

Development of joint European public health research priorities

Background A north-east to south-west European gradient in disease morbidity and mortality has been identified. Adjustments of public health policies and cooperative interventions of multi-disciplinary multi-national European teams, based on identified underlying reasons responsible for differences in regional disease incidence, reduce the populations health gradient in Europe. Methods Participants were invited by e-mail to attend a workshop to initiate a Pan-European public health network between researchers and public administration to identify and develop future public health research projects using de Bonos “six thinking hats” method. The workshop was hosted by the Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics in Berlin and financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Results Following 170 invitations sent to 72 researchers, 78 public administrators, 18 civil society and 3 private sector representatives in 17 European countries, 27 participants from 12 European countries attended a 2.5 days workshop to discuss public health priorities of future public health importance under four major topics (non-infectious diseases, infectious diseases, substance abuse and disease prevention) and eight subtopics (coronary-heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, alcohol, tobacco, generic prevention and obesity prevention). Fourteen hours of workshop discussion were digitally recorded for further qualitative analysis. Conclusion De Bono's lateral thinking method allowed effective generation of new ideas, better communication and effective analysis of issues. A modern participatory approach in a workshop with partners from multiple European countries enabled structured discussion on major public health threats to populations in the EU for the preparation of future joint research projects.

Developing a multi-organisational strategy for managing emergencies and disasters

The challenge of coping with disasters, risks and emergency situations must be seen as a permanent management process with clearly defined tasks, responsibilities and resource allocations. This process requires a continuous effort, including periodic identification, analyses and assessments of the critical stages along the risk circle, thus considering prevention, intervention and recovery. To cope effectively and efficiently with disasters demands a clear strategy, involving all stakeholders and risk scenarios. This paper outlines the importance of an integral risk management process and public–private partnership and — taking Switzerland as an example — describes the process of developing and establishing a widely supported vision and strategy to cope with risks due to natural hazards. The paper also elaborates some ideas on how to expand the strategy to other risks and stakeholders. The Swiss approach involves public and private sector representatives, assembled in an extra-parliamentary commission as a national platform to cope with natural hazards. This multi-stakeholder strategy development process has resulted in an action plan for implementing the strategy. Major progress has been achieved, with all stakeholders committing to a commonly established risk concept, to allocate substantial resources for the improvement of the risk dialogue and, finally, to accept a periodic audit to evaluate the status and success of the strategy.

Políticas públicas e turismo: enoturismo no Vale dos Vinhedos/RS

The various types of tourism aim to consolidate the activity as a product, marketing leisure, culture, past and present targeted to what drives the tourist. Given that, this study aimed to analyze the role played by the government and by public policies designed to chart a course for a touristic tipology in growth: the wine tourism, trips motivated from the interest in the wine and the producer region. The qualitative field method was implemented through descriptive-exploratory research characterized by a case study in the Vale dos Vinhedos. A collection of basic data was compiled from interviews with local private sector representatives and Secretaries of Tourism in the Bento Goncalves, Monte Belo do Sul and Garibaldi municipalities, all located in this region. Among the findings, the Government participate in important points to build the route, however the lack of a policy specifically targeted to the wine tourism tends to compromise its development in the Vale dos Vinhedos.

Crisis Management, Tourism and Sustainability: The Role of Indicators

The damage to tourism caused by a crisis or disaster may not only have serious implications for a national economy but also threaten the livelihoods of many in the destination. The monitoring of crisis indicators could allow intervention to minimise the crisis and offers a chance of protecting tourism for the benefit of all stakeholders. This paper evaluates the role of crisis indicators in sustainable tourism development, and shows why this is closely connected to issues in sustainable tourism. The author challenges the conventional classification of crises and suggests that grouping them according to their triggers is more useful in predicting and managing a potential crisis. Empirical data gathered during interviews with senior Malaysian public and private sector representatives highlight some of the practical issues associated with the identification and monitoring of appropriate indicators. The paper concludes that the new classification allows crisis management to be more cost-effective and may also be a key to indicator development for other aspects of sustainable tourism. The travel trade may hold the key to indicators of market trends, but there would be issues in obtaining the necessary information for reasons of confidentiality.

Global Forum highlights deficits in disease and gender research

Public health officials scientists nongovernmental organizations(NGOs) and private sector representatives from over 100 countries gathered on 2-5 December 2003 at the annual conference of the Global Forum for Health Research a Geneva-based NGO which lobbies to raise awareness about the fact that less than 10% of health research funds are spent on 90% of the worlds health problems. The Forum looked at the contribution of health research to economic investment poverty gender globalization violence and injuries and noncommunicable diseases. Only a tenth of the US$ 73 billion spent on health research last year went towards developing vaccines medicines or new treatment for diseases of the poor -- like malaria and tuberculosis said conference organizers. Participants in the conference heard that although health research was a major factor in poverty reduction it was often over looked by governments and other donors. (excerpt)

Managing U.S.-E.U. Trade Relations through Mutual Recognition and Safe Harbor Agreements: 'New' and 'Global' Approaches to Transatlantic Economic Governance?

This chapter provides an overview of how the tension between the goals of domestic regulatory protection and liberalized trade have been addressed by the US and EC through transatlantic mutual recognition agreements and a hybrid form, the US–EU safe-harbor principles on data-privacy protection. It assesses the prospects and limits, both politically and in the marketplace, of the US–EU Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) and its six sectoral annexes (of 1997), the US–EU Mutual Recognition Agreement on Marine Safety (initialled in June 2001), and the US–EU understanding on Safe-Harbor Principles for data-privacy protection (of 2000). The analysis is based on a review of relevant documentation coupled with interviews of dozens of US and EC regulatory and trade officials and private-sector representatives.

Access to Medicines and the Rhetoric of Responsibility

There is no cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS. The only life-prolonging treatment available is antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. WHO estimates, however, that less than 5 percent of those who require treatment in developing countries currently enjoy access to these medicines. In Africa fewer than 50,000 people–less than 2 percent of the people in need–currently receive ARV therapy. These facts have elicited strongly divergent reactions, and views about the appropriate response to this crisis have varied widely.The intensity of the debate concerning access to life-prolonging medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and the heated rhetoric with which they are often conducted, suggest that these disagreements may be rooted in deeper disagreements of value. It is not obvious, however, what disagreements of value are at stake in this debate. By analyzing the statements of scholars, public officials, activist organizations, and private sector representatives, each of whom may endorse very different policy recommendations on access to HIV/AIDS drugs, we have identified and created a typology of the different sources of disagreement in the debate. We conclude that the central disagreements concerning access to medicines arise from competing understandings of how responsibilities for bringing remedy to hardships should be allocated to different agents and institutions. A central lesson that emerges from our analysis is that thinking about “health equity” must extend beyond the explanation and justification of goals, values, and ideals, and engage more honestly with the difficult question of how responsibilities for bringing remedy to health crises should be allocated in complex social contexts.

National Economic Action Council Executive Director Dato' Mustapa Mohamed on economic growth and investment in Malaysia

Executive OverviewThe National Economic Action Council (NEAC) was established on 7 January 1998 as part of the Malaysian governments response to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Chaired by the Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, its membership includes cabinet ministers with economic responsibilities and private sector representatives. NEAC's primary role is to protect the global competitiveness of Malaysia's economy, taking steps to prevent economic recession due to external shocks, and to strengthen the country's economic base. NEAC staff monitor global economic information and provide analysis and advice to the Council on direct foreign investment, the banking and finance sector, capital markets, development of key economic sectors, and social issues caused by economic downturns. Y.Bhg. Dato' Mustapa Mohamed was appointed Executive Director of NEAC on 18 July 2001. From 1999 he chaired the Labuan Development Authority and acted as adviser to the Ministry of Finance. From 1995 to 1999 he was Minister of Entrepreneur Development, taking on the additional portfolio of Second Finance Minister in September 1998. Dato' Mustapa began his political career in 1987 as Political Secretary to the Minister of Finance, subsequently being appointed Member of the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (1991). He was Deputy Minister of Finance between January 1994 and April 1995. He has been a member of the UMNO Supreme Council since 1993. A graduate of Melbourne University and Boston University, he served as Administrative and Diplomatic Officer in the Ministry of Finance (1974–1980), Lecturer at the National Institute of Public Administration (1982–1984), and Special Officer to the Minister of Finance (1984–1987). In 1997, he was awarded an honorary doctor of commerce degree by the University of Melbourne and an honorary fellowship by the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN). Dato' Mustapa is the author of several books on the Malaysian economy and politics.

Implementing Environmental Policy in Biodiversia

Alt first, Peter Mwangi thought he had struck gold. After two years of heading support unit for preparation of National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) in country of Biodiversia, he would now head National Environmental Office (NEO) in charge of NEAP coordination and implementation. He could put behind him all overtime and stress of working with World Bank and other international donors; consulting with six task forces that assembled government officials, university experts, private sector representatives, community groups, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and negotiating with politicians, both at national and district levels. As executive director of NEO, he would finally have stature and respect he had worked so hard for, as well as authority to implement NEAP's ambitious objectives. The consultative process conducted through task forces had produced issue papers on environmental and agricultural policy, land/forest management and soil conservation, aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, mining and industry, social concerns and health, and energy use and climate change. These were debated at district and national conferences, and Peter's support unit had revised them into policy framework and background documents that were submitted to cabinet and were then forwarded to legislature. With all divergent and conflicting views among national stakeholders, and conditions imposed by donor agencies, it was a wonder enabling legislation and investment program were enacted at all! Ah, he thought, the hard part is finally over. A National Assembly decree converted his unit into NEO, housed it within Ministry of Planning, and created an interagency body, National Environmental Commission, for which NEO serves as secretariat. The NEO would be responsible

In Search of Dialogue? Oil Companies and Indigenous Peoples of the Ecuadorean Amazon

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, the oil development agenda has been influenced by the neo-liberal economic thought, with its emphasis on the virtues of private enterprise. This emphasis has, however, combined with a greater attention to environmental issues. Many private sector representatives have expressed their commitment to the principle of environmental and social responsibility, which, at the turn of the millennium, is supposed to moderate the unrelenting corporate search for profits. The analysis of the oil development in the Ecuadorean Amazon suggests though that this commitment is uneven and, overall, rather weak. More meaningful government and community participation are needed to make it effective. Without improved government regulations and increased community pressures, the corporate principle of environmental and social responsibility is likely to remain in the realm of public relations, legitimizing corporate presence in environmentally fragile indigenous territories, but producing few tangible results. In addition, more thought should be given to the nature of indigenous claims with regard to oil development. While environmental protection is an important issue, even more so is the need for sustainable income-generation projects that would allow indigenous peoples to alleviate their subsistence crisis.

TEAM Leafy Spurge: An Areawide Pest Management Program

The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) Leafy Spurge project is a United States Department of Agriculture and Agricultural Research Service (USDA–ARS) regional, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program focused on the Little Missouri River drainage in the states of North and South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming, U.S.A. TEAM Leafy Spurge project represents the first large-scale, systematic study and demonstration of weed management alternatives under USDA–ARS's Areawide Pest Management Program. The other three projects previously approved under the program targeted insect pests. TEAM Leafy Spurge's primary goal has been to demonstrate the use of ecologically based IPM strategies to achieve effective, affordable leafy spurge control. TEAM Leafy Spurge is co-chaired and overseen by the USDA–ARS in cooperation with the USDA–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Both agencies have many years of experience in research and implementation of leafy spurge control tactics as well as valuable contacts and resources. Together those federal partners make a powerful team to address the leafy spurge problem on a multi-state basis. Additional federal agencies participating in TEAM Leafy Spurge include: Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Geological Service. State partners include: state departments of agriculture and other state agencies, Cooperative Extension Services, land grant universities, and county weed managers, while private sector representatives include landowners and ranchers. A non-partisan ad hoc committee consisting of state and federal researchers, land managers, representatives from local, state, and federal entities, and private landowners/ranchers provides guidance and helps to ensure the quality and applicability of the program. The extensive partnerships are of particular importance because they help to ensure continued dissemination of information past the limited life span of TEAM Leafy Spurge, which is set to expire in 2003. The five components of TEAM Leafy Spurge research and demonstration project are: (1) Program management; (2) Operations; (3) Assessment; (4) Supporting research, and (5) Technology transfer. As of this writing, the bulk of the research work has been completed and now TEAM Leafy Spurge is focusing its energies on assessment and technology transfer projects. Where available, brief outlines of research results are included here in addition to discussion of the program's key components, overall structure and general operation.

External Sector Adjustment

ABSTRACT Since 1981 Malawi has been undergoing an extensive economic adjustment programme. A key aim has been to diversify and increase exports. This aim has met with little success. To understand why export businesses have failed to respond to exchange rate changes and other incentives we conducted an export business survey of 51 firms and interviewed government officials, private sector representatives, and IMF and World Bank staff. We found that structural rigidities, particularly infrastructure constraints, are so severe that the impact of exchange rate policies and other incentives on external sector adjustment is very limited. Increased policy attention should therefore be paid to these constraints if the adjustment programme is to succeed.