Public Support Services Research Articles

Defence organizations in emergency networks: the early response to COVID-19 in Europe

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyse the crisis network response of European countries and the role played by defence organizations (DOs) during the early response phase of the pandemic, here set to encompass 75 days.Design/methodology/approachPublished materials – reports, news and communications – provided by authorities and DOs were used. Some of the authors actively participated in national pandemic response networks. An exploratory approach and qualitative content analysis were applied. The data were collected in national languages from 13 European countries, and they were coded and analysed using the actors, resources and activities (ARA) framework.FindingsThis study identified three main categories of activity structures in which the DOs interacted with civilian members of response networks, health-related services, logistics services and public support services. These networks among actors were found within formal response systems and emergent networks. The DOs engaged as actors that provided a range of services when civil authorities could not cope with the huge demand for specific services and when resources were scarce in the initial response phase.Originality/valueThis study contributes by filling an important research gap with regard to the civil-military relations associated with the use of DO resources in the civil response to the pandemic crisis in Europe, which is described as an untraditional response. The ARA network approach provides a framework for arranging ARA and extends the wider civil-military network to expand the formal networks of the early crisis response. The study lays knowledge about the co-operation between civilian and military actors in different contexts and provides a broader understanding of the roles that DOs played in the response operations.

The Impact of Applying Academic Accreditation Standards on the Efficiency of Institutional Performance in Dhofar University in Sultanate of Oman

The study aims to see how applying academic accreditation standards affects how well Dhofar University in Oman is running, according to Academic and non-academic staff. The research used an analytical-descriptive approach. The sample of this study was university staff for the 2021/2022 academic year. (203) people were chosen to answer questions from a survey with (10) different topics and (46) questions. The research used a method called Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the study's hypothesis. The research found that meeting high quality standards for academic accreditation (governance and administration, student learning through programs that adopt academic courses, student learning through programs that adopt research courses, academics’ research and advisory services, participation with the local community and the industrial sector, students and student support services, employees and employee support services, public support services and facilities) on the efficiency of institutional performance at Dhofar University. The study also indicated that there is no statistically significant impact of academic support services on the efficiency of institutional performance at Dhofar University. The study recommended the need to increase the university's awareness of its role in interacting with society further by directing its faculty research towards problems and topics of interest to all segments of society, especially the business sector.

Living situation of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury.

To describe the living situation of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury. Cross-sectional questionnaire. Primary family caregivers of persons with chronic spinal cord injury in Switzerland. Cross-sectional study of family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury. For comparison, the study population was matched to family care-givers of persons dealing with long-term health conditions in the general population, using a propensity-score based algorithm. A total of 717 family caregivers participat-ed in the survey (35% response rate). Participants were mostly female (72%), mean age 57 years, and had spent approximately 13 years caring for their relative. A mean of 21 h/week was spent providing care and assistance. The vast majority of family care-givers reported coping well with their situation. However, support from public services was deemed inadequate. Compared with family caregivers in the general population, family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury performed more caring tasks and reported a slightly lower quality of life. Family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury are self-reliant to cope with their situation, but report discontent with public support ser-vices. The healthcare system could provide alternative support measures, such as direct financial compensation.

THE POLICY PARADOX: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION POLICIES

This paper proposes an integrative framework and recommendations for enhancing public sector support utilisation amongst Ethnic Entrepreneurs (EEs) in the UK. The role of entrepreneurial IT adoption in an ethnic enclave is examined as a key factor affecting policy practice. The paper draws on interviews based on a purposive sample of 20 South Asian EEs with various capacities such as academic skills and the level of IT adoption. The findings show that despite the presence of relevant policies, the utilisation and awareness of public sector support are insufficient amongst EEs due to issues associated with trust, bureaucracy, time and communication. It is recommended that the entrepreneurial framework should facilitate the direct reaching of the targeted EE groups. This can be achieved by featuring network dynamics to improve attitudes towards the propitiousness of public support services, using appropriately selected role models. This study is one of the first attempts to incorporate ethnic entrepreneurship into the national immigrant integration agendas.

THE POLICY PARADOX: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION POLICIES

This paper proposes an integrative framework and recommendations for enhancing public sector support utilisation amongst Ethnic Entrepreneurs (EEs) in the UK. The role of entrepreneurial IT adoption in an ethnic enclave is examined as a key factor affecting policy practice. The paper draws on interviews based on a purposive sample of 20 South Asian EEs with various capacities such as academic skills and the level of IT adoption. The findings show that despite the presence of relevant policies, the utilisation and awareness of public sector support are insufficient amongst EEs due to issues associated with trust, bureaucracy, time and communication. It is recommended that the entrepreneurial framework should facilitate the direct reaching of the targeted EE groups. This can be achieved by featuring network dynamics to improve attitudes towards the propitiousness of public support services, using appropriately selected role models. This study is one of the first attempts to incorporate ethnic entrepreneurship into the national immigrant integration agendas.

Do public support services matter in the multilocation process in China?

Purpose– During the last decade the demand to comprehend the overarching success factors of the multilocation process in distant countries such as China has increased significantly. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the nature and scope of the collaboration between the public support services (PSS) in China and the Spanish enterprises which decided to be multilocated there.Design/methodology/approach– The present study examines the necessity of the PSS in China by employing a review of literature as well as both quantitative and qualitative surveys from 31 Spanish companies multilocated in China.Findings– The main conclusions highlight the fact that the PSS do not seem to have a big and homogenous influence on the multilocation process, although those companies with higher levels of commitment that have been operating in China for a longer time have used it more frequently.Originality/value– While other studies of multilocation have isolated the companies from their host environment, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the weak links between the PSS and companies in a culturally and psychically distant market. By providing an insight into the dynamics of how firms interact and collaborate with the PSS, this study contributes to guiding policy makers and managers in designing and implementing strategies to support enterprises in the multilocation process in China.

The effects of expanded universal childcare support and working mothers in Korea

Despite a tenfold increase in Korean public spending on childcare over the past decade, the effect on reducing the burden for employed women has been a subject of intense criticism. This study uses national childcare survey data from 2004 and 2012 to examine how the difference in childcare costs of working and non-working mothers has changed and how the financial burden on working mothers is increasing. Although differences in costs for the two groups were found to have decreased slightly, many households with working mothers were found to have given up public support services and ended up spending more on private child services. The private financial burden was found to be greater for the category of highly educated women. The results suggest that public support should be designed in a way that takes the mothers’ employment into account, while improvements are made in the quality of childcare services.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT SERVICES BY SME OWNERS: EVIDENCE FROM A PERIPHERY REGION OF CANADA

Public authorities throughout the world, recognizing both the importance and fragility of SMEs, have over the years created agencies and set up numerous venture development support and assistance measures. Despite all these efforts, SME owner-managers do not appear to make maximum use of the services available. Results from a survey of 70 SME owner-managers show that the likelihood of an SME using public support services increases as the perceived usefulness of public agencies and their services increases, and as the level of knowledge of public agencies increases. Furthermore, the probability of using public support services decreases as the experience of the owner-manager increases. On one hand, many owner-managers do not seem to understand the utility or relevance of the services the agencies provide, while on the other, they do not seem to know enough about the agencies working in their region. However, most of the owner-managers who had used the agencies felt the services they had received were appropriate to their needs. Therefore, the problem appears to lie more with the perceptions of certain owner-managers than with the nature or quality of the services themselves.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM: THE VISIBLE HAND OF PUBLIC POLICY

For the past 13 years, the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal have been publishing their Index of Economic Freedom (Kane, Holmes and O’Grady, 2007). The subtitle of the 2007 report, The Link between Economic Opportunity and Prosperity, provides us with a glimpse of the importance for economic systems that the authors ascribe to the practice of economic freedom. For those pursuing the study of entrepreneurship, the linkage between economic freedom and economic opportunity is of special interest and significance. The identification and exploitation of opportunity is fundamental to the practice of entrepreneurship. The presence and practice of economic freedom around the world, then, is the cornerstone of the sustainable nature of entrepreneurship. Amidst the good news about the recent performance of the global economy, the 2007 Report cautions us that there are disturbing signs of erosion of economic freedom. From the US to Europe to Asia, at the margin, policy changes are putting barriers on the freedom of economic inputs and outputs to cross national borders. This is a trend worth watching! For the pessimists, erosion of economic freedom, if perpetuated, could have disastrous effects on national and international entrepreneurship. The optimists, on the other hand, maintain that markets will again triumph over governments, albeit in the long-run. In the meanwhile, of course, opportunities are being washed away! This issue contains articles that deal both with public policy and private initiative. The first contribution is by Robert Plant. Using the background of location theory and a sample of firms funded in conjunction with the Florida Venture Forum in his “An Empirical Analysis: Venture Capital Clusters and Firm Migration,” Plant finds that a good number of funded firms are located within venture capital clusters. He also finds that funded entities are younger than non-funded ones and are more likely to be acquired and move from their original location. The article carries useful lessons for economic development officials as well as funded entrepreneurs. Josee Audet and Etienne St-Jean tell us that public authorities have established numerous agencies as well as venture development support and assistance measures for SMEs. Unfortunately, in “Factors Affecting the Use of Public Support Services by SME Owners: Evidence from a Periphery Region of Canada,” they find that SME owner-managers do not take full advantage of these services. They delve into the reasons for their findings and make an effort to pinpoint the root of the problem.

Good Governance of Microcredit Strategy for Poverty Reduction: Focus on Western Mindanao, Philippines

The study argues for the integration of good governance principles in developing financially viable, effective and social equity-laden micro-credit strategy for the impoverished agrarian reform beneficiaries in Western Mindanao. It particularly examines the program design and implementation strategies of the Enterprise Development Credit (EDC) sub-component of the Western Mindanao Community Initiatives Project (WMCIP). The study aims to provide lessons and insights for the planning and implementation of comprehensive and integrated Official Development Assistance (ODA)-funded government programs for poverty reduction and rural development.The data and information were generated from combined descriptive and field studies covering a sample survey, group discussions, interviews, field visits and observations, official documents and other secondary sources. The respondents were officials and field personnel of WMCIP, line agencies, local government units (LGUs), and non-government organizations (NGOs); officers and members of cooperatives and people’s organizations (POs); religious leaders and informal moneylenders; and WMCIP beneficiaries. Overall, micro-credit is applicable only to the enterprising poor. The application of micro-credit to other poverty groups who actually need subsidies and social safety nets would be a mistake. Thus, the EDC sub-component should be reformulated and revitalized following the program design of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). Its graduated strategy for helping the poor should be applied to the poverty pyramid by categorizing the WMCIP beneficiaries into four poverty groups: (1) micro-enterprise operators or the less poor, (2) enterprising or moderately poor, (3) laboring or very poor, and (4) poorest of the poor and most vulnerable or the ultra-poor. The results further reveal that based on the poverty pyramid, the credit program designs of the Credit Assistance Program for Program Beneficiaries Development (CAP-PBD) and Quedan Rural Credit and Finance Corporation (QUEDANCOR) are readily applicable to the credit needs and financial capabilities of the enterprising poor. Beyond QUEDANCOR’s micro-credit facility, the non-enterprising poor may actually opt for financial assistance from cooperatives or CAP-PBD to help finance their agriculture-and fishery-related production activities. On the other hand, the beneficiaries and their “not-so-strong” organizations that could not readily comply with the minimum credit standards should be provided with farm production subsidies, capability-building services and social safety nets under a special poverty alleviation project. This will enable them to pass minimum credit standards within a transition period of six months to one year. In view of WMCIP’s EDC sub-component, the study further identifies the factors that enable or limit successful design and implementation of micro-credit program and the provision of public support services. The enabling factors are vital to planning and decision-making that will eventually make the program effective and appropriate. The limiting factors, on the other hand, facilitate the identification of strategies to manage and control credit risks and other circumstances that may hinder participation and adversely affect the attainment of objectives and desired outcomes.On the whole, the application of good governance will improve program design and will make the implementation strategies acceptable to all organized stakeholders and individual end-beneficiaries. This will also improve the administrative capabilities of partner organizations and enable them to be effective and responsive to the differentiated poverty conditions, credit needs, preferences and financial capabilities of the impoverished target beneficiaries. These are consequently geared towards the attainment of the long-term vision of sustainable human development for the impoverished WMCIP beneficiaries.The integration of good governance into micro-credit intends to improve its program design, implementation strategies and processes. However, support services are actually necessary so as to simultaneously attain the desired social equity and financial viability objectives. The program should be orchestrated within a comprehensive and integrated approach to poverty reduction and rural development. The good governance of micro-credit requires multiple organizational partnerships among the different government agencies, business sector and the civil society. Most importantly, the financial and technical support programs of the international donor community are absolutely necessary in the light of Philippine economic and fiscal challenges.

A network of help for Englands elderly

114 Social services for the elderly in the sources designed to support the elderly United States have always suffered low in their own homes to institutional priority in the expenditure of public support services, which can be either funds and low status in the public eye. temporary or long-term. It is impor Sporadic outbursts of public indignatant to note that nearly the entire tion over news of old people made system is publicly supported by high homeless by urban renewal or killed income taxes and high local property in nursing home fires fail to arouse taxes. and maintain sufficient concern for The social worker in England func the health and welfare of the elderly, tions as a generalist in a social ser Care of the elderly has also received vice department under a local author insufficient attention from social workity. The department usually serves ers. The large caseloads of people reseveral counties, except in large urban ceiving old age assistance in public areas where sections of a city consti welfare systems are symptomatic of tute a local authority. This is the case both society's failure to adequately dein London. Since the passage of the fine and meet the needs of old people Local Authority Social Service Act of and the frustration of social workers 1970, the responsibilities of a general trying to do the best they can. In nursist social worker have included service ing homes, too, social consultto clients of all ages, as well as re ants often lack the time, the resources, ferrai and follow-up that links and in some cases the skill to meet the clients with other public and volun social and emotional needs of longtary agencies, such as housing depart term health care patients. ments, the Supplementary Benefits In England, services to the aged Commission which provides cash as are much more comprehensive and istance to the poor, the Red Cross, better developed, with social inand various voluntary services. Thus, tervention playing a pivotal role. A social workers in local departments look at this part of the health and b°th make and receive referrals, and welfare systems in England can recomprise a team of social service per veal a wealth of ideas for new policies sonnel serving a specified geographic in the United States that would better area. serve the elderly. In England, the term social Many concerned professionals in work refers to a combination of tar England declare that no real system Sets of social that includes chil exists for the care of the elderly. But dren, the elderly, the mentally re when English services are compared tarded, and the mentally ill; in con with the rudimentary care system that trast, the same term in the United we know in the U.S., quite a compreStates refers primarily to a combina hensive network of services emerges. tion °f social skills used in case Figure 1, which depicts this network, work, group work, and community is based on information from interwork. In England as in the United views with social workers, physicians, States there is much debate over administrators, and educators in five generic practice, and there are signs different local authorities.1 Because a resurgence of specialization in health services and social services are both countries, interrelated and not necessarily se