Sector Collaboration Research Articles

Factors influencing elderly coping with social challenges in Thailand's aging society

Thailand is facing a rapidly aging population, presenting numerous social challenges for the elderly that necessitate effective coping mechanisms to sustain their well-being. This study investigates factors influencing their ability to cope with aging-related challenges and the mechanisms driving their adaptation. A total of 330 participants aged 60 years and older were surveyed. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling with AMOS, and path analysis. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, with participants divided into three age groups: 60-69, 70-79, and 80+. Content analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Findings revealed that cooperation and societal support had the highest factor loading (0.809), while technological proficiency had the lowest (0.513). The structural equation model showed a high coefficient of determination (R² = 85%) for adaptation. The results underscore that adaptability is a key factor in coping with aging challenges, enabling physical and mental adjustment. Enhancing technological skills and promoting government policies and sector collaboration are vital for improving quality of life and readiness to address Thailand’s transition to a super-aged society.

A qualitative study of the government’s engagement of the private health sector in the delivery of Ghana’s COVID-19 emergency response

IntroductionThere is a growing literature on the significance of private sector engagement and collaboration for optimal response to health emergencies. The current study examines how the private sector was engaged...

Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) on Highways: Global Trends, Vietnam's Experience, and Policy Lessons

This paper explores the transformative shift to Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems in highway management, focusing on deployment patterns and the realized benefits. By analyzing global ETC trends and taking a deep dive into Vietnam’s experience, it offers practical policy insights for developing countries facing this critical transition.A key feature of the paper is its in-depth analysis of Vietnam’s shift from manual toll collection (MTC) to ETC, demonstrating significant improvements in emissions reduction, operational efficiency, and cost and time savings.Based on its findings, the paper emphasizes the role of ETC in enhancing productivity, promoting sustainable development, reducing pollution, and advancing towards a smart economy and society. It highlights the crucial importance of government leadership and private sector collaboration in achieving successful ETC implementation. Additionally, the paper underscores the urgency and substantial benefits of investing in digital transformation for toll facilities like metros, tunnels, and skyways to alleviate traffic congestion in megacities and on inter-city roads, potentially saving millions of people and vehicles hours of travel time.

The ‘Skills Gap’ in the Animation/VFX Industry in Scotland

Integral to the animation and visual effects (VFX) industry are graduates with industry focused skills. Yet, the industry is rapid and ever changing, almost defying attempts to define it. How then should animation/VFX, and indeed any subject of a similar nature, be taught to best prepare industry-ready graduates? This article describes Animation/VFX industry perceptions ( N = 18) of current Animation teaching in further and higher education. Findings show that a large ‘gap’ in the ‘skills’ required exists, but with multitudinous perceptions and understandings of what this ‘skills gap’ is. The authors suggest approaches to plug this gap through attributes and aptitudes that could be developed in students, lecturers and industry opportunities for students. Further, they outline how closer industry and education sector collaboration may be achieved. However, they stress that, without government policy initiatives and investment, the prospects for the sector, and by extension for those in a similar situation, appear bleak.

Surfing a culturally-relevant physical activity: a new wave for health promotion

Abstract Background Surfing originated with Native Hawaiians prior to Western contact. It has since gained worldwide popularity, with an estimated 50 million surfers globally, and recently became an official Olympic sport. Associations have been reported between surfing and mental and physical health outcomes, greater community cohesion, and stronger intra-family relationships. Despite this evidence, surfing is deeply understudied in the context of health promotion. Purpose Surfing was analyzed from a mixed methods perspective to explore factors associated with lifetime participation and current engagement, including gender, race/ethnicity, chronic disease, social context, meaning, and average time of participation. Methods Hawai’i adult residents (n = 1066) completed an online or phone questionnaire. Modified Poisson regression models were fit for lifetime engagement and having a self-reported chronic disease, adjusting for primary race/ethnicity, age, gender, and education. Results Over their lifetime, 42% of respondents (50% men and 37% women) had participated in surfing. Engagement was highest during youth and young adulthood, and decreased with age, yet trends varied notably by race/ethnicity, gender, and generation. Lifetime surfing engagement was significantly related to lower likelihood of diabetes (aPR:0.72; 95%CI:0.56-0.92;p=0.009). Individuals who regularly participated in surfing typically did so with friends (78%) or family (61%); average surfing session duration was 209 minutes. Qualitative results revealed the relevance of surfing across levels of influence for health and wellbeing from physical fitness to community, culture, history and spirituality. Conclusions This work provides insights on the health promotion opportunities of surfing across the life-course and populations, including disease prevention and management. This study has implications for planning and policy locally and globally to achieve optimal community and planetary health. Key messages • Surfing is not only a sport for elite athletes, but also an activity that can support community and individual health and wellbeing in many populations over the lifespan. • Promotion of surfing and public ocean access can support multidimensional influences for wellbeing and should be a focus of cross sector collaborations for optimal community and planetary health.

Evaluating Pakistan’s mental healthcare system using World Health Organization’s assessment instrument for mental health system (WHO-AIMS)

BackgroundPakistan faces profound mental health challenges, which necessitate the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of its mental healthcare system. A holistic understanding of the mental health landscape is essential to identify strengths, weaknesses, and existing gaps within the system, which can inform targeted interventions and policy enhancements to improve mental healthcare accessibility.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this desk research is to conduct an in-depth analysis of Pakistan’s mental healthcare system across various dimensions, guided by the World Health Organization’s Assessment Tool for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS).MethodsData for this desk research and scoping was obtained through desk research, including an examination of existing policies and legislation and consultations with various health facilities across Pakistan. This comprehensive analysis focused on six critical domains within the WHO-AIMS framework: policy and legislation, mental health services, integration of mental health into primary care, public awareness and collaboration with other sectors, human resources, and monitoring and research initiatives.ResultsThe findings provides a snapshot of strength and opportunities for improvement in Pakistan’s mental healthcare system that can serve as the foundation for revising and updating national priorities. Key areas of focus include enhancing policy and legislation, expanding access to mental health services, improving existing initiatives for better integration of mental health into primary care, improving public awareness and sector collaboration, addressing human resource challenges, and strengthening monitoring and research initiatives.ConclusionThis desk research provides a roadmap for refining and enhancing Pakistan’s mental health ecosystem and informs the prioritization of mental health campaigning efforts.

The role of indigenous healers in treating surgical conditions in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Indigenous knowledge healers (IKHs) provide alternative healthcare to formal health services in rural South Africa, but there is a gap in knowledge regarding their treatment of surgical conditions. This study evaluated IKH surgical care and described their perspective of the dual health system. A cross sectional survey of IKHs in the Madwaleni Hospital catchment of the Eastern Cape, South Africa was conducted. Topics included the training and experience of IKHs, treatment of nine common surgical conditions, referral patterns, disease origin beliefs, benefits and limitations of care, and collaborative opportunities between the two health systems. Thirty-five IKHs completed the survey. IKHs were consulted by persons with all nine surgical conditions. The most common forms of treatment were application of an ointment on the affected site (88%) and oral medication (82%). Operative treatment was only done for abscess. Referrals to the formal healthcare sector were made for all surgical conditions. IKHs reported that they were limited by their lack of training and resources to perform operations. On the other hand, they perceived the treatment of the spiritual aspect of surgical disease as a benefit of their care. Thirty-five (100%) IKHs were interested in closer collaboration with the formal health sector. IKHs treat surgical conditions but refer to the formal health sector when diagnostic and operative services are needed. More research is needed to determine the potential advantages and disadvantages between the formal health sector and IKH collaboration.

Managing Social Impact Bonds: Intermediary Work and Designing Institutional Infrastructure

Collaborations addressing grand challenges seek social impact; whether such social innovations will endure beyond initial enthusiasm is a major issue. Over the last decade, Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) emerged to diffuse globally as a new form of cross sector collaboration to finance solutions for social problems. Crucially, SIBs rely on intermediary organizations to coordinate and govern relations across diverse actors with competing and conflicting interests and values. How an intermediary goes about this work has significant effects on whether the collaboration achieves the desired social impact and whether it endures. In this article, we examine the intermediary work that enables such a cross-sector collaboration by analyzing two of the first completed SIBs in Continental Europe. Our findings identify three main types of interweaving intermediary work of aligning, stitching, and knotting, that are supported by three distinct forms of institutional infrastructure (ideational, operational, and relational respectively) providing a significant contribution to the analysis of cross-sector collaboration by connecting intermediary work to institutional infrastructure.

Toward the Institutionalization of a One Health Agenda: What the World can Learn from Bangladesh

Abstract In 2005 and 2007, prompted by Nipah and avian influenza outbreaks, respectively, faculties at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) in Bangladesh initiated a civil society network of researchers in animal and human health. This network led to the launch a year later of One Health Bangladesh (OHB), a platform with membership open to multi-disciplinary scientists, practitioners, and activists. Along with continued advocacy to advance One Health agenda, OHB partnered with government, UN agencies, and other stakeholders to develop, in 2012, a National One Health Strategic Framework and Action Plan. The National Plan was later endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL), and Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFC) followed by its implementation which introduced a three-tier multi-sectoral coordination mechanism including the establishment of a One Heath Secretariat in 2016. In 2017, an operational budget for the One Health Secretariat (OHS) was allocated by the MoHFW and three mid-level government officers from three government agencies, and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), and Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) were seconded to the OHS to make the Secretariat functional. OHB and the OHS now work together to advance the institutionalization process and implement One Health activities including One Health capacity building, joint surveillance, outbreak investigation and intervention, advocacy in the form of arranging dialogs, seminars, workshops, and conferences, and promoting cross sectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration, networking, and partnership nationally and internationally. Information © The Authors 2024

Tourism and climate change stocktake: a call to action

The first climate action stocktake cycle under the Paris Agreement was completed in 2023 to assess global progress on mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance goals. State-driven action needs to be complemented by sectoral efforts, and this paper builds on the first Tourism Stocktake undertaken in 2023 that examined climate action in the tourism sector. First, an expert elicitation survey was conducted to validate and deepen the findings from the stocktaking activity. Second, an analysis of the Stocktake’s 40 metrics was undertaken against six criteria of indicator quality. The expert survey revealed a sector still in the early stages of implementing its climate response, with a consensus that 2030 tourism emission reduction targets would not be achieved. Tourism policy and investment were deemed inconsistent with climate ambitions, and current adaptation is insufficient for projected climate change, so that future impacts will restrict tourism development in some destinations. Analysis of the metrics exposed significant data gaps and a core set of 13 robust metrics to measure change over the next stocktaking cycle is identified. The paper concludes with recommendations to advance sector capabilities and collaboration to monitor progress on climate action for an updated Tourism Stocktake in 2026.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 management on the workload of human resources working in India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Program

BackgroundIn 1993, WHO declared tuberculosis (TB) as a global health emergency considering 10 million people are battling TB, of which 30% are undiagnosed annually. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic took an unprecedented toll on health systems in every country. Public health staff already engaged in TB control and numerous other departments were additionally tasked with managing COVID-19, stretching human resource (HR) capacity beyond its limits. As part of an assessment of HR involved in TB control in India, The World Bank Group and partners conducted an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on TB human resources for health (HRH) workloads, with the objective of describing the extent to which TB-related activities could be fulfilled and hypothesizing on future HR requirements to meet those needs.MethodsThe study team conducted a Workload Indicators and Staffing Needs (WISN) analysis according to standard WHO methodology to classify the workloads of priority cadres directly or indirectly involved in TB control activities as over-, adequately or under-worked, in 18 districts across seven states in India. Data collection was done via telephone interviews, and questions were added regarding the proportion of time dedicated to COVID-19 related tasks. We carried out quantitative analysis to describe the time allocated to COVID-19 which otherwise would have been spent on TB activities. We also conducted key informant interviews (KII) with key TB program staff about HRH planning and task-shifting from TB to COVID-19.ResultsWorkload data were collected from 377 respondents working in or together with India’s Central TB Division (CTD). 73% of all respondents (n = 270) reported carrying out COVID-19 tasks. The average time spent on COVID-19 tasks was 4 h / day (n = 72 respondents). Multiple cadres highly instrumental in TB screening and diagnosis, in particular community outreach (ASHA) workers and CBNAAT/TrueNAAT laboratory technicians working at peripheral, block and district levels, were overworked, and spending more than 50% of their time on COVID-19 tasks, reducing time for TB case-finding. Qualitative interviews with laboratory technicians revealed that PCR machines previously used for TB testing were repurposed for COVID-19 testing.ConclusionsThe devastating impact of COVID-19 on HR capacity to conduct TB case-finding in India, as in other settings, cannot be overstated. Our findings provide clear evidence that NTEP human resources did not have time or essential material resources to carry out TB tasks during the COVID pandemic without doing substantial overtime and/or compromising on TB service delivery. To minimize disruptions to routine health services such as TB amidst future emerging infectious diseases, we would do well, during periods of relative calm and stability, to strategically map out how HRH lab staff, public health resources, such as India’s Health and Wellness Centers and public health cadre, and public-private sector collaboration can most optimally absorb shocks to the health system.

Enhancing Education Sector Collaboration: the Contributions of Community Colleges

This study investigates the pivotal role of community colleges in enhancing collaboration within the education sector. Despite the recognized importance of collaboration, the specific contributions of community colleges remain underexplored. Employing a mixed-method research approach, the study utilizes a sequential exploratory design to comprehensively examine the roles, benefits, challenges, and strategies related to collaboration facilitated by community colleges. Data were collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys in places where community colleges exist. Findings indicate that community colleges serve as intermediaries, offering flexible education programs and contributing to workforce development, thereby fostering partnerships and cooperation among diverse stakeholders. While collaborative initiatives yield benefits such as enhanced student success and increased educational access, challenges such as resource constraints and communication barriers persist. Strategies to enhance collaboration effectiveness include building strong relationships, investing in capacity building, and establishing clear communication channels. These findings underscore the significance of recognizing and leveraging the unique contributions of community colleges to promote collaboration and address systemic issues within the education sector. The study concludes with recommendations to strengthen partnerships, allocate resources, implement capacity-building programs, and further research to explore additional factors influencing collaboration.

“I would love to see these big institutions… throwing their weight around”: qualitative findings regarding health and social sector collaborations to address community-level socioeconomic adversity

BackgroundHealth and social sector organizations are increasingly working together to mitigate socioeconomic adversity within their communities. We sought to learn about the motivations, experiences, and perspectives of organizations engaged in these collaborations.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured, 60-minute interviews with 34 leaders from 25 health and social sector organizations between January-April 2021. Interviews explored motivations, benefits and challenges, and ways in which health sector organizations can most effectively address community-level socioeconomic adversity. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed; themes were coded using Dedoose software.ResultsPartnerships were primarily motivated by mission-driven organizations and key health sector leaders who were interested in addressing root causes of poor health; policies such as certificate of need laws and value-based care incentives that aligned community-level investments with health sector organizations’ financial interests facilitated these efforts. While partnerships were mostly regarded as mutually beneficial ways to increase impact (for the health sector) and resource access (for the social sector), social sector organizations voiced frustrations regarding the outsized expectations, unsustained interest, and lack of partnership from their health sector collaborators. Despite these frustrations, both health and social sector interviewees supported the health sector’s continued involvement in community-level socioeconomic initiatives and expansion of policy and systems efforts.ConclusionsCross-sector, community-level socioeconomic initiatives were mutually beneficial, but social sector organizations experienced more frustrations. Policy and organizational changes within the health sector can further mobilize and sustain support for these efforts.

Advancing Parent and Newborn Health Outcomes Through Community-Based Collaboration: A Somerville-Tufts University Partnership

This manuscript is based on Project INSPIRE: Improving New Somerville Parent & Infant Resiliency & Engagement, a healthcare and early childcare sector collaboration between: 1) the Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice (CBMHRJ) at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts; 2) MARCH: Maternal Advocacy and Research for Community Health at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts; and 3) SomerBaby, an early childhood home-visiting and parental support program through Somerville Public Schools in Somerville, Massachusetts. To address Somerville immigrant parental health gaps in the literature, we convened a Parent Advisory Board (PAB), co-created a novel health needs assessment survey in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and distributed this survey both through home visits by SomerBaby interpreters as well as online for all Somerville parents of children three years old or younger. In this manuscript, we focus on topics related to the overall methodology of this project, including study conceptualization, lessons learned in community-engaged parental health research, and recommendations for academic-community research partnerships in pursuit of Black and Brown maternal health equity.

Social Processes of Public Sector Collaborations in Kenya: Unpacking Challenges of Realising Joint Actions in Public Administration

AbstractSocial processes behind the success or failure of collaborative implementation frameworks in African public administration contexts are under-researched. This paper addresses this gap by paying particular attention to trust attributes in collaborative implementation arrangements in Kenya. It shows how implementation challenges of policy programs and interventions may be linked to these interventions’ social characteristics in the public sector. The paper draws on a threefold approach of mutual trust and administrative data on public sector collaborative implementation arrangements for Kenyan anti-corruption policy like the Kenya Leadership Integrity Forum. Findings show that despite increased efforts to realise joint actions in public sector collaborative arrangements, they remain primarily symbolic and hierarchical and feature loose social cohesion among actors, producing challenges bordering on deficiencies in social processes of implementation. These include politicised aloofness or lack of commitment, unclear governance structures, coordination deficiencies, inter-agency conflicts, layered fragmentations, and overlapping competencies among different agencies. The paper recommends identifying and nurturing socially sensitive strategies embedded in mutual trust, like informal knowledge-sharing channels, to address primarily mandated public sector collaboration challenges in Kenya. Such efforts should consider systematic training and incentivising public managers to think outside inward-looking organisational cultures, allowing them to devise sustainable collaborative implementation approaches (promote open innovation) for policy programs, particularly anti-corruption policy.

Time Required for Education Up to College Level

This study explores the imperative of mandatory college education in Indonesia, amidst recent protests against rising tuition fees. Despite higher education's recognized socio-economic benefits, Indonesia has yet to mandate college attendance, lagging behind global trends. Drawing on comparative analysis with Malaysia, South Korea, and European nations, the research underscores the potential of mandatory college education to enhance workforce skills, promote innovation, and reduce social disparities. Findings advocate for government commitment, increased funding, and collaboration with the private sector to ensure equitable access and quality in higher education, ultimately driving economic growth and social development. Highlights : Global Trends Comparison: Benchmarks Indonesia against leading nations for educational policy insight. Equitable Access and Quality: Ensuring fairness and standards for a skilled, diverse workforce. Government-Private Sector Collaboration: Partnerships vital for sustainable funding and educational enhancement. Keywords: Mandatory Education, Indonesia, Socio-Economic Benefits, Collaboration, Funding

Effectiveness of the Whole-of-Government Approach in Overcoming Cross-Sectoral Problems in Makassar City

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach in overcoming cross-sectoral problems in Makassar City as well as identify the challenges faced and provide policy recommendations to improve public sector collaboration. The research method used is a literature review, which allows the collection and analysis of various relevant and reliable literature sources. Literature was collected through academic databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and PubMed. The analysis technique used is thematic analysis, where relevant information is grouped into themes that have been identified and synthesized to form a complete picture of WoG effectiveness. The research results show that the main challenges in cross-sector coordination in Makassar City include sectoral egos, lack of effective coordination mechanisms, communication barriers, and lack of resources and capacity. To increase the effectiveness of WoG, this research recommends building a collaborative work culture, developing formal and structured coordination mechanisms, improving communication systems, adequate resource allocation, policy synchronization, and implementing reward systems. It is hoped that the implementation of these recommendations can increase the effectiveness of implementing WoG in overcoming cross-sectoral problems in Makassar City, so that public services can run more optimally and efficiently.

Librarians, archivists, and museum professionals’ role perceptions and cross sectoral collaboration – Signs of convergence?

Public libraries, archives, and museums have identifiable differences related to their founding missions and play many roles in today’s cultural sector and broader society, yet LAM institutions’ professional activities appear very similar. Moreover, increased digitization of LAM collections allows for increased collaboration and convergence across the institutions, and the merging of L, A, and M education at the tertiary level nurtures a common professional knowledge base. How are the LAM professions developing in relation to each other; are they growing together or apart? This paper analyzes questionnaire responses reflecting European LAM professionals’ perceptions of their roles as cultural professionals and how this influences their likelihood to collaborate with others in the LAM sector. Collaboration is prevalent between the three types of professionals studied. Forty-six percent of librarians confirm that they collaborate with archives and/or museums, 60% of archives report collaborating with libraries and museums, and 73% of museologists collaborate with libraries and/or archives. LAM professionals perceive their roles as distinct and closely tied to the core of their social mission. There are various factors influencing collaboration among Library, Archive, and Museum (LAM) professionals.

A vision for academic and third sector collaboration in (criminal) justice

AbstractIn this article we sketch a vision that might guide academic and third sector collaboration. We do so by drawing on a project that involved collaboration with a range of stakeholders, in order to stimulate ongoing discussion about how academics and the third sector might work together to seek positive change. Our findings show that there are keenly felt challenges, but also a sense of resilient optimism. A key finding among our stakeholders was a sense that there is an absence of an overarching shared vision, which was experienced by many of our respondents as consequential. Therefore, in the spirit of constructive provocation we set out such a vision, which was collaboratively developed with our respondents: opening a dialogue, rather than providing a conclusive position.

Role of Government and Private Sector on Agribusiness Development: Comparison between the USA and Bangladesh

This comparative research explores the intricate roles of government and the private sector in the growth of agribusiness, analyzing the different approaches used by the USA and Bangladesh. The prevailing paradigm in the USA is market-driven, with an emphasis on private sector dominance, technical innovation, and large-scale agricultural. Bangladesh, on the other hand, takes a hybrid strategy to addressing socioeconomic difficulties, combining government interventions and private efforts with a focus on smallholder empowerment. Divergent tactics, problems, and outcomes in agribusiness growth are revealed by the investigation. Both countries are concerned about concerns such as sustainable practices, market access, and infrastructure. Context-specific solutions, customized to each country's particular socioeconomic context, emerge as critical. The study emphasizes the importance of government and private sector collaboration in fostering resilient and sustainable agribusiness ecosystems, providing useful insights for global agricultural development policy.