Series Of Policy Changes Research Articles

Cinema, censorship, and consumerism: mass culture and discursive transformations in film censorship in late 1970s South Korea

ABSTRACT The emergence of ‘erotic films’ (ero yeonghwa) in the 1980s has generally been discussed in the context of the Chun Doo-hwan regime’s ‘3S Policy,’ a series of policy changes that relaxed the stringent censorship regulations first implemented under Park Chung Hee’s military rule. Rather than a distinct rupture, this article argues that these changes were part of a larger shift in the perception of films that began in the late 1970s – a new conception of films as a commercial product. Whereas film audiences had long been dismissed as faceless masses with ‘vulgar’ tastes by both film personnel and government officials, the growing commercial power of films underscored the importance of the audience as consumers. Through a close reading of various newspapers and Performance Ethics (Gongyeon yulli), the official newsletter of the Public Performance Ethics Committee, this article traces the development of various discourses around film, the public audience, and mass culture. Ultimately, this article argues for a more nuanced approach towards examining censorship practices by looking beyond the state and its regulatory institutions and accounting for an array of continuously shifting discourses around medium-specific characteristics, structural changes in society and economics, and the general public.

Empowering Single Parents: Navigating Socio-Economic Challenges and Fostering Resilience in Family Well-being

Single-parent households represent a diverse and growing family structure in contemporary society, often facing unique socio-economic challenges. This research seeks to comprehensively examine the role of single parents in meeting the socio-economic needs of their families, with a particular focus on the well-being of both parents and children. Through a mixed-methods approach encompassing quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and an extensive review of existing literature, this study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the complexities and resilience demonstrated by single-parent households. Our findings reveal that single parents employ a variety of coping strategies, including meticulous financial planning, seeking education and job opportunities, and building robust support networks. These strategies are essential in navigating the financial stress, time constraints, and emotional strain often associated with single parenthood. Moreover, children in single-parent households often exhibit resilience through adaptive thinking, effective emotion regulation, and seeking support from trusted adults. Quantitative analyses indicate that academic achievement and reported stress levels in single-parent households may differ slightly from those in two-parent households. However, it is essential to consider that these outcomes are influenced by numerous factors beyond household structure, including income levels and parental involvement. Furthermore, our research underscores the significance of accessible support systems, including government assistance programs, community organizations, and family networks, in alleviating these challenges. In light of these findings, this research proposes a series of policy changes and interventions aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being of single-parent households. These include strengthening child support enforcement, expanding access to affordable childcare, increasing investments in affordable housing, and enhancing education and job training programs tailored to single parents' unique needs. In conclusion, the socio-economic well-being of single-parent households is a multifaceted and vital concern in contemporary society. By recognizing the diverse strengths and challenges these families face and implementing inclusive policies and support systems, we can empower single parents and their children to thrive. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of single-parent dynamics and resilience while offering actionable recommendations to enhance their socio-economic prospects and foster a more inclusive future for all families.

The Role of Anti-Haitian Racism in Dominican Mass Deportation Policy

A recent wave of mass deportations in the Dominican Republic has displaced thousands of people of Haitian descent. Over the past fifteen years, a series of policy changes in the D.R. have systematically denationalized and marginalized generations of Dominicans of Haitian descent. This article discusses the historical and political context of these discriminatory policies, as well as the role of anti-Haitian racism therein.

From Lenin to Stalin：Political and Cultural Changes in the Soviet Union from 1922-1924

The transition of power from Lenin to Stalin directly changed the destiny of the Soviet Union, amounting to much more than just a simple change in leadership. Although to a significant degree, Stalin maintained many aspects of Lenin's leadership, there were still significant political and cultural changes which took place in Russia during the shift of power and ensuing political competitions. Three key political changes stemmed from this transition: 1.) Lenin's New Economic Policy was replaced by a series of policy changes that came to be called "The Great Turn"; 2.) There were significant changes in the formation of the Russian Communist Party, leading to conflicts between old guard Bolsheviks and new members; and 3.) There were significant changes in other policies used to control the country, including the use of police, gulags, and propaganda. In concert with these political changes, there were also two significant changes in the broader Soviet culture: 1.) The earlier revolutionary emphasis on Marxist-Leninism was systematically supplanted by an emphasis on total obedience to Stalinism and Stalin's dictatorship in the "Great Purge" of the 1930s; and 2.) The relative respect for the sovereignty of neighboring communistic countries under Lenin was supplanted by a much more imperialistic and expansionary policy of "state communism" under Stalin. This essay will explore the political and cultural changes as mentioned that stemmed from the transition in power from Vladimir Lenin to Joseph Stalin from 1922-1924, starting from the three political changes before proceeding into the analysis of broader social changes.

Impact of major hepatocellular carcinoma policy changes on liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States.

Since its inception in 2002, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD)-based allocation has undergone a series of revisions, especially with respect to exception points. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common indication for MELD exceptions, and as a result of higher transplant proportions and lower waitlist mortality, a series of policy changes have been implemented to deprioritize HCC transplants. We examined the impact of HCC exception policy changes on transplant and waitlist mortality rates. We evaluated Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing data on adult patients from January 1, 2005, to June 4, 2021, focusing on waitlist mortality and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) proportions. The data were divided into four policy eras: (1) MELD 22 points at waitlisting with an increase in points every 3 months (i.e., elevator) (January 2005-October 2015), (2) delay and cap at MELD 34 points (October 2015-May 2019), (3) delay and fixed exceptions based on donor service area (DSA) median MELD at transplantation minus three (MMaT-3; May 2019-February 2020), and (4) delay and fixed exceptions based on the MMaT-3 of centers within 250 nautical miles (i.e., acuity circles; February 2020-June 2021). We evaluated (a) changes in the proportions of DDLTs for patients with HCC exceptions within each era nationally and by DSA and (b) waitlist mortality in the three recent policy eras, focusing on mortality in the 6 months after the 6-month delay period. The percentage of adult DDLT with HCC exceptions decreased through the four eras: 22.9% (n=14,049), 17.9% (n=4598), 14.3% (n=851), and 12.4% (n=1425), respectively. Of the 51 DSAs analyzed, the annual percent change in DDLTs for patients with HCC exceptions was negative (i.e., decreased) in 47 (92.2%). Waitlist mortality remained stable. All HCC policy implementations led to a decrease in the percentage of transplants for HCC without an increase in waitlist mortality. The impact is not uniform across geographic areas.

A political tsunami hits Amazon conservation

Abstract The history of conservation of the Amazon can be viewed as a war involving many battles with interests in agribusiness on one side and in biodiversity conservation and sustainability on the other side. Trends in large‐scale deforestation in the 1970s spurred a series of policies, stakeholder alliances and international and grass‐roots movements, which decades later led to the establishment of protected areas and interventions in soy and beef supply chains of agribusiness. Together, these advances epitomized a conservation framework for the Amazon, which at one point nearly curbed deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, although it included very few protections for freshwater ecosystems. While those conservation advances were taking place, however, a series of policy changes started to undermine them through expansions in deforestation, river regulation and mining activities. The election of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 then hit the Amazon conservation framework much like a tsunami of policy setbacks and the re‐establishment of the economic policies that sparked the Amazon war in the past. The current trajectory is one of large‐scale degradation of Amazonian ecosystems and biodiversity with consequent impacts on local people. Because freshwater ecosystems are highly sensitive to human activities on water and on land, these growing impacts are particularly large. It is too early to know, but four decades of institutional and policy developments to conserve the Brazilian Amazon may soon be pushed past the point from which they will be able to recover. Four conditions will be pivotal to allowing the Amazon conservation framework to recoup: (a) the end of Bolsonaro’s mandate in 2022 or earlier; (b) remobilization of stakeholders; (c) investments in environmental research, policy and multiple collaborations; and (d) moving conservation beyond terrestrial landscapes to also encompass freshwater ecosystems and their people.

India’s Import Dependence on China in Pharmaceuticals: Status, Issues and Policy Options

India has one of the most advanced pharmaceutical industries among developing countries. Yet India is critically dependent on China for supplies of bulk drugs and drug intermediates with China accounting for about two-thirds of the total imports. In the early 1990s, China was relatively a minor source of bulk drugs imports for India. Imports increased since then and sharply accelerated after the early 2000s. By the mid-1990s, India was able to successfully develop a pharmaceutical industry. The policies that India pursued till then significantly influenced the transformation. The mid-1990s however saw the beginning of a series of policy changes in India in the pharmaceutical industry. Unlike China where the government intervened strongly, the role of the government was consciously diminished in India. As a result, India became increasingly dependent on bulk drugs supplied from China. India’s critical dependence on China for bulk drug supplies was flagged from time to time in different circles. The government has been slow in responding to the situation but has now announced major schemes for promoting local production of bulk drugs, drug intermediates and key starting materials. These are expected to have a major impact. But the paper argues that these deal with only a part of the problem and suggests the other policy steps that need to be taken.

Prospective payment system and racial/ethnic disparities: a national retrospective observational study in anaemia complication among end-stage renal disease patients in the US

BackgroundA series of policy changes in 2011 altered reimbursement arrangements and guidance on use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with anaemia in the US. While the policy changes were principally directed at care delivered in an outpatient setting, these had the potential to affect inpatient care also. This study used HCUP-NIS data (2008–2016) to examine trends in recorded anaemia among ESRD hospitalizations and analyse disparities in inpatient outcomes among ethnic groups following policy changes.MethodsThe International Classification of Diseases codes were used to identify ESRD admissions, recorded anaemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD), and to generate an age-adjusted Deyo-Charlson comorbidity index. Linear splines with a knot placed at the time point of policy changes and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the likelihood of recorded anaemia, adjusted for a range of socio-demographic and clinical covariates. Difference-in-difference analyses investigated the impact of policies on recorded anaemia. Other outcomes included hospital cost, mortality and place of discharge.ResultsThe percentage of inpatient episodes with recorded anaemia arising from CKD increased from 26.2% in 2008 to 50.0% in 2016. Anaemia was more likely to be recorded as a complication of ESRD among minority ethnic groups and Native American admissions, in particular, (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.15–1.25) relative to White American admissions; and these disparities widened following changes to reimbursement. Minorities were less likely to die in hospital and to be discharged to another healthcare facility, and (with the exception of Black American admissions) they were more expensive to treat.ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence of an increase in recorded anaemia consistent with a shift of patients from outpatient to inpatient settings in the wake of changes to reimbursement enacted in 2011. In addition, the study highlights the existence of ethnic disparities that widened after the policy initiated reimbursement changes.

The NHS visitor and migrant cost recovery programme \u2013 a threat to health?

BackgroundIn April 2014 the UK government launched the ‘NHS Visitor and Migrant Cost Recovery Programme Implementation Plan’ which set out a series of policy changes to recoup costs from ‘chargeable’ (largely non-UK born) patients. In England, approximately 75% of tuberculosis (TB) cases occur in people born abroad. Delays in TB treatment increase risk of morbidity, mortality and transmission in the community. We investigated whether diagnostic delay has increased since the Cost Recovery Programme (CRP) was introduced.MethodsThere were 3342 adult TB cases notified on the London TB Register across Barts Health NHS Trust between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2016. Cases with missing relevant information were excluded. The median time between symptom onset and treatment initiation before and after the CRP was calculated according to birthplace and compared using the Mann Whitney test. Delayed diagnosis was considered greater or equal to median time to treatment for all patients (79 days). Univariable logistic regression was used to manually select exposure variables for inclusion in a multivariable model to test the association between diagnostic delay and the implementation of the CRP.ResultsWe included 2237 TB cases. Among non-UK born patients, median time-to-treatment increased from 69 days to 89 days following introduction of CRP (p < 0.001). Median time-to-treatment also increased for the UK-born population from 75.5 days to 89.5 days (p = 0.307). The multivariable logistic regression model showed non-UK born patients were more likely to have a delay in diagnosis after the CRP (adjOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.13–1.66, p value 0.001).ConclusionSince the introduction of the CRP there has been a significant delay for TB treatment among non-UK born patients. Further research exploring the effect of policies restricting access to healthcare for migrants is urgently needed if we wish to eliminate TB nationally.

Language of learning and teaching as a barrier to effective implementation of CAPS: Narratives of Grade 10 Life Sciences teachers

The study sought to provide information about the experiences of Life Sciences teachers in the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) using English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). Life Sciences, as a subject within the Further Education and Training (FET) band, underwent a series of policy changes over a very short period. The teachers in the Bojanala East District in the North West Province were faced with the challenge of implementing the new policy known as CAPS using English as LoLT. A qualitative research design was employed for the study. The researcher used a purposeful sampling technique to select 33 Grade 10 Life Sciences teachers as participants. Data were collected using one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis to investigate the performance of Grade 10 to 12 learners in Life Sciences over a period of three years. Findings of this research indicate that the use of English as LoLT in teaching Life Sciences prevented learners from sufficiently understanding the subject. In addition, learners seem to struggle with new terminology as implemented by the policy changes.

Gender in the Australian Public Service: Doing, Undoing, Redoing or Done?

AbstractAttention to gender equity has waxed and waned in public services but, by the 1980s, a series of policy changes placed public services among the leaders in working conditions for women. Conversely, New Public Management reforms since the 1980s focused on leaner, more efficient government and resulted in the gradual downgrading or stagnation of employment conditions for female public sector employees. In the Australian Public Service (APS), occupational segregation remains, as does under‐representation of women in senior management. In 2016, the Australian government announced its commitment to progressing gender equality with the release of an APS gender equality strategy. Drawing on frameworks for ‘doing’ and ‘undoing’ gender at work, this research uses data from interviews and focus groups to first, identify staff experiences in one large APS agency to examine how gender is done, and second, consider the transformative potential of this strategy to lead to workplaces where gender has been redone or undone, and third, consider the implications for women's equity.

CEO compensation and mortgage origination in the banking industry

AbstractManuscript TypeEmpiricalResearch Question/IssueThis study examines the relationship between bank CEO compensation and mortgage origination practices before the 2008 financial crisis. It extends the discussion about the degree of responsibility of executive compensation for the crisis, by testing whether bank CEO equity incentives contributed to the growth in high‐risk mortgages before the collapse of the mortgage market.Research Findings/InsightsUsing a unique dataset of comprehensive loan origination records and CEO compensation in an inclusive sample of publicly traded U.S. banks, this study finds strong evidence that CEO compensation vega is positively associated with the riskiness of mortgages before the collapse of the mortgage market and some evidence that compensation delta is negatively associated with the riskiness of mortgages.Theoretical/Academic ImplicationsThis study contributes to the understanding of the role of executive compensation in the 2008 financial crisis. Consistent with prior research, it provides further empirical support that compensation vega induces risk‐taking. Moreover, in the context of the financial industry, the findings illustrate the potential adverse effect of high‐vega compensation of bank CEOs, as such compensation may have contributed to the build‐up of high‐risk mortgages prior to the crisis.Practitioner/Policy ImplicationsFollowing the financial crisis, a series of policy changes towards regulating and reforming executive compensation in financial firms has been implemented. This study offers important insights for the reform and design of executive compensation in the financial sector. In particular, practitioners and policymakers should examine the incentive structures of bank executives (such as compensation delta and vega) in order to appropriately influence risk‐taking.

Competition in health care: lessons from the English experience.

The use of competition and the associated increase in choice in health care is a popular reform model, adopted by many governments across the world. Yet it is also a hotly contested model, with opponents seeing it, at best, as a diversion of energy or a luxury and, at worst, as leading to health care inequality and waste. This paper subjects the use of competition in health care to scrutiny. It begins by examining the theoretical case and then argues that only by looking at evidence can we understand what works and when. The body of the paper examines the evidence for England. For 25 years the United Kingdom has been subject to a series of policy changes which exogenously introduced and then downplayed the use of competition in health care. This makes England a very useful test bed. The paper presents the UK reforms and then discusses the evidence of their impact, examining changes in outcomes, including quality, productivity and the effect on the distribution of health care resources across socio-economic groups. The final section reflects on what can be learnt from these findings.

Improving response rates for course and instructor evaluations using a global approach

Obtaining sufficient survey responses to make course and instructor evaluation results meaningful is a challenge in many, if not most, health professions training programs. This paper describes a series of policy changes that significantly improved data quality at one college of veterinary medicine located in the United States. The steps consisted of minimizing the number of items appearing on the instruments, providing students adequate time and space for completion, clearly explaining the purpose and value of the evaluations, simplifying data collection, collecting verbal feedback, and closing the loop with student participants by informing them of any changes that were made as a result of their feedback. The steps outlined in this model may be easily extended to other health professions programs that involve cohort models, multi-instructor courses and limited resources with respect to time and people.

Analysis of Migrant Workers’ Low Participation in Old-age Insurance From a Capabilities Approach

Migrant workers in China play a crucial role in economic development. But they face serious problem of old-age income after they get old. Along with the establishment of market-oriented economy, labour’s risk increased. Additional from that, family planning and changes of lifestyles have reduced the insurance function of a family. Government made a series of policy changes and the old-age insurance policies seem encourage migrant workers. But the low participation still remains. Some researchers hold that migrant workers do not realise the importance of old-age insurance or do not want to participate in it. But the low participation still remains. Some researchers hold that migrant workers do not realise the importance of old-age insurance or do not want to participate in it. I refuse the point of review. I will argue that government development philosophy do not support creating migrant workers’ capabilities, which lead to the low participation. Policies review and case study will be used to explain that migrant workers’ strong need in old-age insurance, their rational choice of not strive for the rights of old-age insurance and their lack of capabilities in participation of old-age insurance scheme.

Are Brazil's Deforesters Avoiding Detection?

Rates of deforestation reported by Brazil’s official deforestation monitoring system have declined dramatically in the Brazilian Amazon. Much of Brazil’s success in its fight against deforestation has been credited to a series of policy changes put into place between 2004 and 2008. In this research, we posit that one of these policies, the decision to use the country’s official system for monitoring forest loss in the Amazon as a policing tool, has incentivized landowners to deforest in ways and places that evade Brazil’s official monitoring and enforcement system. As a consequence, we a) show or b) provide several pieces of suggestive evidence that recent successes in protecting monitored forests in the Brazilian Amazon may be doing less to protect the region’s forests than previously assumed.

Agile innovation management in government: A research agenda

Governments are facing an information technology upgrade and legacy problem: outdated systems and acquisition processes are resulting in high-risk technology projects that are either over budget or behind schedule. Recent catastrophic technology failures, such as the failed launch of the politically contested online marketplace Healthcare.gov in the U.S. were attributed to an overreliance on external technology contractors and failures to manage large-scale technology contracts in government. As a response, agile software development and modular acquisition approaches, new independent organizational units equipped with fast reacting teams, in combination with a series of policy changes are developed to address the need to innovate digital service delivery in government. This article uses a process tracing approach, as well as initial qualitative interviews with a subset of executives and agency-level digital services members to provide an overview of the existing policies and implementation approaches toward an agile innovation management approach. The article then provides a research framework including research questions that provide guidance for future research on the managerial implementation considerations necessary to scale up the initial efforts and move toward a collaborative and agile innovation management approach in government.

POLICY CHANGE IN TEACHER TRAINING: CHALLENGES TO ENHANCE ENGLISH EDUCATION IN JAPAN

English language education and the lack of quality in its practical application in Japan has been a very common topic of discussion over the years. The main reason is that very little improvement has been noted in overall English ability among Japanese students despite a series of policy changes by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. This paper examines the motivations for these policy initiatives and the problems associated with their implementation through documentation review and analysis. The findings of this research indicate that the lack of qualified teachers is likely responsible for the current poor English education environment and argue that improving teacher training programs will function as the key to enhancing English education in Japan. We clarify the confusing situation of teacher training and lay a foundation for future work which complements the current policies on English education.

Enhancement of Teacher Training: Key to Improvement of English Education in Japan

English language education and the lack of quality in its practical application in Japan has a very common topic for discussion over the years. The reason this persists as a topic of discussion is simply that very little improvement has been noted in overall English ability among Japanese students despite a series of policy changes instituted by the Ministry of Education. This paper examines these policy initiatives and describes how they were intended to be implemented as well as problems associated with them. The authors believe that the lack of qualified teachers is likely responsible for the current undesirable situation and the enhancement of training programs for teachers will function as the key to the solution of this problem.

Efficacy of rights-based approach to education: A comparative study of two states of India

The Government of India made a series of policy changes regarding elementary school education in the country in the period 2002–2012. In 2009 the Government made free (and compulsory) education a fundamental right of every child in India between the ages of six and fourteen. The Government also set out the infrastructure provisions that schools were mandated to implement. In doing so, it adopted a rights-based approach to elementary school education. This paper reports on a study of the effectiveness of this approach. It is argued that merely declaring a public service as a citizens’ right does not entail either optimal access or optimal implementation. Rather, the paper argues that claiming of rights and implementation requires an enabling environment and it is concluded that societal power bias and social accountability are important factors in creating such an environment. The examples of Kerala and Bihar, respectively the best and worst performing states in India with regard to implementation of the right to education, were used to examine these states’ different levels of performance regarding the mandates defined by the Right to Education legislation enacted in 2009.