Social Development Strategy Research Articles

Ending poverty in Mongolia: From socialism to social development

While recent literature on social welfare has included Asian countries, less is known about low‐income and former socialist countries in Central Asia. This article combines a documentary‐historical method with a value‐critical approach to analyze Mongolia's social policy response to poverty. Mongolia is unique in Asia because it transformed from nomadic pastoralism to socialism without a phase of capitalist industrial development. The case study found that Mongolia lost social welfare when it transitioned from socialism, a statist model, to market liberalism and multiparty democracy. In the 21st century, Mongolia has been aspiring to promote social development by redirecting mining revenues to a human development fund. Mongolia is potentially an exemplar of social development strategies affirmed at the United Nations Conference for Social Development (Rio+20) regarding a green economy for inclusive growth and poverty elimination. Future social welfare research should consider the importance of sustainability.Key Practitioner Message: ● Global standards for tracking poverty alleviation will be integrated with sustainability measures beginning in 2015; ● Mongolia hopes to foster social development and sustainable livelihoods by reinvesting revenues from mining into human capital and health care; ● To sustain future generations, social policy needs to consider the relationship between natural capital, social capital, and financial capital.

Peculiarities of Implementation of Environmental Investments in Ukraine

The aim of the research is to identify the problems and peculiarities of implementation of environmental investment in Ukraine. The determinants of modern social development are presented in the article, the principles of modern strategies of social and economic development of the country are formed, the trends, which are reflected in modern structural macroeconomic dynamics and which have a significant influence on the development of investment processes are identified. It is also determined that the current state of environmental investments in Ukraine can be assessed as unsatisfactory. After a noticeable increase of environmental investments in the 80’s, it was a dramatic decline in the 90-ies of the XX century and this trend stayed in the new millennium. The part of environmental investments in the total structure of investments doesn’t exceed 1 %. The principles that reflect the system of values of the civilization of the XXI century, including environmental progress are disclosed, it is proved that the ecologization of the investment process is a complex task of the entire system of economic management, the principles of the state policy in the field of environmental investments are formed.

Homelessness in Romania – Challenges for Research and Policy

The paper is dedicated to the analysis of homelessness in Romania, in its transformations during transition, as well as the dynamic of the set up aiming to tackle it. The wider context of the analysis is twofold: (i) for comparative purposes, the problem of homelessness worldwide is mainly addressed at the level of measurement methods and policies; innovative measurement techniques and programs implemented overseas are mentioned, in order to understand how the Romanian policies and research compare, and to highlight the range of development opportunities ahead; (ii) the various factors contributing to the occurrence of the social problem are put under scrutiny; homelessness is approached as a structural failure of the society, i.e. an extreme limit of the social inclusion and social development strategy, rather than an individual rebuff. The paper offers an understanding of the factors shaping life trajectories of homeless people. Researches show that family events play a prominent role (divorce, separation, eviction by the household members). The loss or inability to procure a dwelling (as in the case of youth exiting the social protection system) represents also crucial personal event, with a major explanatory role for homelessness. These factors are far more important than poverty per se, as many of the studies show. The paper profiles the multidimensional nature of the social exclusion of the homeless: lack of adequate and sufficient food, repeated sexual, physical and psychological abuses, chronic diseases, discrimination and stigma, total lack of access to social services, lack of identity papers and other categories of interrelated problems. Researches suggest that the phenomenon of homelessness has become acute in Romania, reaching at least its second proliferation wave, as some of the post-revolutionary homeless have given birth to offspring of their own, while the institutional capacity has been almost inexistent for a long time and it is still far insufficient, in conditions of uncertainty regarding the real size and nature of the phenomenon. Most of the intervention capacity is shaped as emergency response to crises situations. The “invisibility” of the phenomenon for the society has been increased by the lack of credible administrative data or research estimates. Interviews conducted by the author complement the scarce supply of recent literature on homelessness, in an attempt to bring this social problem into the focus of research and policy. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n22p504

EUROPEAN CONVERGENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE SOCIAL STRATEGY OF LATVIA

The purpose of this study is to introduce evaluation of convergence policy activities in the European Union and to designate social development trends of Latvia in the context of reaching the goals of strategy “Europe 2020. The aim of the research has set the following tasks: to introduce the main EU social convergence theory investigations as the development challenges for improvement socio-economic well-being of the EU states; to evaluate current social situation and eventual social strategy of Latvia on 2014-2020; to estimate European convergence policy impact on the social development of Latvia. The strategic goals of EU policy are discussed as well as the development challenges for improvement of the national economy well-being in the EU states and to avoid social disparities This study contains analysis of the new concepts of „Europe 2020“ growth strategy and the Europe convergence policy impact appreciate on Latvian social strategy changes and prospects. The main emphasis of this research lies in the complex approach to the social convergence theory and EU cohesion policy implementation on the social development strategy of Latvia. The research methodology is based on the convergence theory and its main scenario analysis, convergence catch-up rate calculation, on the EU strategy and European Commission legitimate documents application, on the growth theory and socio-economic forecasts analysis and on the national and external factors and variables estimations. The research methods employed in the present study are the monographic method, analysis and synthesis, statistical analysis and the graphic methods. This research investigate major information for social situations estimation in Latvia as well as GDP growth, welfare conditions, inflation and unemployment indicators and its possible development on 2014-2020. The speed of convergence depends on the initial discrepancy of the development level in the EU states. The efficiency of European convergence policy can also be improved by significant economic growth and by clever choice of the country-specific social activities. The objective of this study is to describe current social policy of Latvia and its consistent including into European convergence process. The main targets of social development prescribed by the strategy “Europe 2020” influence on the contents of the Latvia`s strategy „Europe 2020” and of the „National Development Plan of Latvia for 2014-2020”. In this medium-term planning strategies documents the main social and economic development priorities and sources of finance for their implementation are mutually coordinated. The eventual situation of the social policy in Latvia continues improving and the long-term calculations and forecasts by medium-growth scenario shows increasing tendency of Latvia`s GDP per capita in (PPS) from 64.0% in 2012 to 75.3% for 2020 and till 87.0% for 2030 of EU-28 average level. The main results and conclusions of this study reflect the overall social convergence situation estimation in the EU and especially in Latvia, contain different Latvian social indicators calculations, describe the main principle for welfare increasing and information flows preparation for national growth model estimation. The discussion consist analysis of the strategic choice for socio-economic policy of Latvia in the context of “Europe 2020” strategic goals and include current and future European convergence policy impact significance on social progress in the EU states and Latvia. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.8.6759

CHALLENGES FOR BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The primary goal of partnerships in social development is to strategically join efforts to reduce poverty, address inequalities and social injustices through the redistribution of resources, and through social and economic development programmes. This can only be achieved when there is a true commitment from all partners involved to take up the challenges of building partnerships which could provide a negotiated framework for a partnership strategy for social development. These challenges include understanding the changing role of the state, redefining partnerships, empowerment of NGOs to be service deliverers and advocates, the creation of an enabling environment, recognition and balancing of social development partners’ strengths and weaknesses, an agreement on the social development agenda and a plan for sustainable social development. Although a partnership strategy for social development needs to be in place to provide broad guidelines, each kind and level of partnership need to be uniquely negotiated, planned, designed and maintained

Характеристика трудового потенциала Приморского края

Study of labor potential most actually from a line item of an assessment of implementation of potential of the person in the given working conditions as gives a certain idea of the strong and weaknesses of control of regional development as a whole.
 The characteristic of labor potential is provided in this article taking into account two pacing factors of its formation and development: 1) human potential (potential of human development), 2) potential of regional social and economic subsystems. Authors gave detail statistical data across Primorsky Krai, the population characterizing a standard of living, expected life expectancy in case of the birth, a health care status, an education level — indexes which define component values of an index of the human development, published in the annual report «About human development in the Russian Federation».
 The assessment of perspectives and threats of reproduction of labor capacity of Primorsky Krai has the high practical significance. Special attention is deserved by calculation of security of strategy of social and economic development of Primorsky Krai made by authors till 2025 human resources.
 Support of the high level of quality of life of the population is offered As the main action for increase of use and development of labor potential of the researched region.

Volunteer tourism and the popular humanitarian gaze

With an increasing number of tourists ‘vacationing like Brangelina’ (Fitzpatrick, 2007), volunteer tourism has become one of the fastest growing niche tourism markets in the world. In this article I develop the popular humanitarian gaze as an analytic to describe the geopolitical assemblage of institutions, cultural practices and actors (e.g. celebrity humanitarians, alternative consumers and volunteer tourists) that play a critical role in the privatization and depoliticization of popular humanitarian interventions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork among three non-governmental organizations that use volunteer tourism as a social and economic development strategy as well as popular media texts, I argue that the popular humanitarian gaze co-produces and extends geopolitical discourses of North-South relations that naturalize political, economic and social inequality. Volunteer tourism in particular, I argue, perpetuates a popular humanitarian gaze that reframes contemporary humanitarianism as an empathetic gesture of commoditized concern.

A conceptual framework for examining HRD and NHRD linkages and outcomes

Purpose – This paper aims to review technical vocational education and training (TVET) literature, identify different components of the TVET system and develop a conceptual framework that integrates human resource development (HRD) and national human resource development (NHRD) outcomes. The renewed focus on technical vocational education and training (TVET) is important for human resource development (HRD), as it expands current understanding of its role in economic development through workforce training. National human resource development (NHRD) perspectives recognize the role of TVET in linking regional and national economic development strategies. Furthermore, TVET’s focus on literacy education, poverty alleviation and inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable populations emphasizes social development outcomes that are critical for NHRD. Using this background, the integration of HRD and NHRD outcomes into one conceptual TVET framework for addressing workforce, economic and social development outcomes has been proposed. Design/methodology/approach – A targeted literature review approach was used for exploring relevant research on TVET systems, identifying the components which support and/or inhibit its effectiveness and an integrative framework that connects education, workforce development, social development and economic development was developed. Findings – Three major themes were identified. The first theme identifies nine sub-themes that make an effective TVET system. These are as follows: national TVET policy, regional TVET policy, training, participation, curriculum, coordination of stakeholder institutions, individual and institutional attitudes toward skill development, managing supply-demand mismatches and economic and social development outcomes. The second major theme underlines the increasing overlap and connection between workforce development, social development and economic development strategies. In the third and final finding, effective TVET systems are positioned as the linking pin connecting the four TVET components (skills, education, innovation and knowledge) to the strategic goals of workforce development, economic development and social development. Originality/value – Integrating national and organizational-based HRD strategies is a unique focus and reflects the broader examination of the differences in the relationship between corporate HRD and more traditional TVET systems. It is argued that the role of TVET in social and workforce development at the regional and societal level cannot be ignored. HRD and NHRD outcomes were integrated by utilizing TVET as a framework for linking economic, social and workforce development strategies.

Методы управления отраслевой структурой промышленности

The paper reviews of existing methods to control sectoral structure, namely, methods to maintain input-output balance, development and production forces location patterns, marketspace control patterns. The author shows how to reconcile long-term forecasting principles and strategies of regional industries social and economic development with sectoral structure control methods. A list of requirements to models and patterns, being developed to harmonize modeling with general equilibrium computable models, is put forward; stages of modeling within the mentioned pattern are outlined.

Integrated Approach to Social Responsibility: a Model of Stakeholders Interaction in Russia and China

A changing and not always rewarding geopolitical reality forces major players of world economy to integrate sustainable principles and social responsibility in corporate and state strategy. These processes lead to a diverse institutionalization level of the overall social responsibility, particularly within politically and financially different systems of emerging markets economies. Some very clear examples of such systems are Russia and China where strategy of economic and social development is presumably based on principles of sustainable development. The balance of socio‐economic and political systems requires a complex mechanism grounded on absolutely diverse historical, mental and other peculiarities. We argue that the game theory methodology, and the Nash bargaining solution in particular, provides a solution for the key concepts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research on Shape Memory Alloy to Petroleum Industry

Shape memory alloy, which is known as "the most promising material in the 21st century", has become one of the three pillars and a commanding height of strategies for the 21st centurys social and economic development like information technology and biotechnology. In this paper, the current research situation, organizational performances, and application of shape memory alloy to petroleum industry are reviewed, so as to provide theoretical guidance for the further application and production of shape memory alloy.

Hypocrites of old or water carriers of new era and their invisible victims: Rethinking corporate social responsibility

Modern business results indicate more clearly the increasing negative effects which corporation business strategies, exclusively oriented to making profit, have on population and the planet. Corporative social responsibility (CSR) as a complex system of business and management that balances among the economic, social and ecological objectives of stakeholders is increasingly recommended as an alternative or integral part of modern business and development strategies. The role and effectiveness of CSR is becoming the subject of intense debate between all those who interpret it as hypocritical mercy of employers and those who see it as a possible paradigm shift in thinking about more effective social and business development strategies. In this paper the role of CSR is discussed from the perspectives of Feminist development economics and Another development strategies, primarily in relation to the safety of employees and the population. The aim of this paper is to recognise the role of CSR in reproducing the increasing number of, from the neo-liberal discourse, still insufficiently visible victims of neoliberal capitalism using comparative theoretical analysis. The paper further aims to emphasise the need to redefine the action, evaluation and measurement of CSR in terms of New economy 2 and Another development.

Enterprise Performance and Assessment Policy in Albania, Needs Social Development Strategies as an Important Key

This paper research overview of the leader behavior literature highlighted the fact that there are inconsistent relationships between the behaviors that leaders engage in and the effects of these behaviors on member attitudes, behavior, and group effectiveness. Making decisions is fairly simple if no responsibility is attached to those decisions. True leaders always assume the responsibility for their actions, their plans, their programmer and their decisions. Courage and personal honesty, the marks of leadership, will permit nothing else. Albania like the other transitional countries is left behind from the western countries concerning the real understanding of the term “management”. Also, management and the entrepreneurship skills are still considered as resources less efficient than the capital in a moment when management and entrepreneurship play a crucial role in business success and performance. The organizations are under pressure to show return on investment for training and development. Although positive trends, problems which management is faced are more challenging than the degree of preparation and performance that they offer, so their qualitative qualification remains the continuous preoccupation as the role of our school is in this direction. In this point of view education in distance can be considered as complementary approach and in some conditions as a worthy replacement of direct education, which still dominates educative systems in Albania. Implementation of efficient financial and economic policies in order to develop a socio-economic strategy, ensures security and stability in the interest of citizens .For this reason that the need for economic reform remains a priority as regional and European integration depends precisely this fact .Since 2006, Albania as a candidate country that aspires to European Union integration has applied and is monitored periodically for development mode of implementation of these policies. As expected, the unfavorable economic situation in the European continent is expected to have a negative impact on the Albanian economy. Either way, the fact that it will continue to have economic growth is good news for the country, especially in the context of a European economy in crisis. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n9p13

POZIOM ŻYCIA W KRAJACH EUROPY I UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ NA PODSTAWIE ACTUAL INDYWIDUAL CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA

Issues related to the standard of living are key aspects of regional policy and social development strategies. The standard of living is synonymous with the terms being, quality of life and well-being. For many years, the basic measure of the standard of living was GDP per capita. In 2012, Eurostat published a new alternative measure standard of living, which is the actual individual consumption per capita, expressed in purchasing power standards. The article presents the standard of living of the population and its spatial variation in the countries of Europe and the European Union. The aim of the study was to show the differences in standards of living, depending on the index used, namely the traditional GDP per capita, and the new AIC per capita.

Invisible Lines Crossing the City: Ethnographic Strategies for Place-making

Helsingborg, a coastal city in southern Sweden, initiated a long-term re-development project called H+ in 2009, aiming to convert industrial harbor space in the city’s south into a new, livable urban neighborhood and city center. The project aims to create an open and ’tolerant city’ in Helsingborg over the next twenty years. In 2010-2011, H+ used an open-source planning method as a strategy to incorporate multiple working methods and ideas into the planning process. As a cultural analyst, my role with the H+ project and the City of Helsingborg was to mediate social and cultural perspectives and development strategies between plan-ners and citizens. Focusing the project’s vision towards incorporating existing communities and their values, I applied an ethnographic method to culturally map Helsingborg’s social cityscapes. Cultural mapping integrates social and physical places into one map. It is a useful methodological tool in accessing ’cultural’ knowledge, translating ethnographic data into usable maps for city planners in the process of developing the H+ area. This article addresses how ethnographic meth-ods and cultural mapping engages with and revitalizes city planning, essentially a process of place-making the H+ area. An applied cultural analytical approach provokes planning practices and questions how and if planning can be more open and inclusive through deeper understandings of unique places that emerge from the relationships between people and spaces. The ’invisible,’ yet well-known, segregating line (a street called Trädgårdsgatan) in Helsingborg creates a particular condition that the city must contend with in order to achieve its vision of a ’toler-ant city.’

The Problem and Countermeasure Research on Ecological and Circulatory Agriculture in the Ecologically Fragile Areas - For the Example of the Yellow River Delta

Whether the ecologically fragile areas can avoid weakness and enhance strong points and take advantages of their resources and carry on the reasonable development, it is related to the success or failure of the regional economic and social sustainable development strategy. Yellow River Delta as typical ecological fragile areas in China, the development of ecological and circulatory agriculture has strategic significance for the area towards the road of sustainable development. For the problem about Yellow River Delta develop ecological and circulatory agriculture, such as fragile ecological conditions, water shortages , serious environmental pollution, ecological technology relatively backward, low cultural quality of the agricultural labor force and weak support policies, we must take some countermeasures like development of rural education, promotion of ecotechnological progress, improvement of the agroecological environment , the comprehensive development and so on.

‘TWO REVOLUTIONS BEHIND: IS THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AN OBSTACLE OR CATALYST FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT?’

As part of a project to investigate the spiritual and moral roots for an African Renaissance the paper employs an inter-disciplinary approach, investigating the intersection between religion and social development. This is done with reference to developmental issues as they become manifest in Ethiopia. An analysis of the social role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is accompanied by a critical review of some theories and strategies for social development. Since Ethiopia is one of the major beneficiaries of US and international aid the paper also considers options for sustainable social development.

Locating the tourist in volunteer tourism

Since the mid-2000s, volunteer tourism has been an increasingly popular topic of academic inquiry, yet most volunteer tourists are unfamiliar with the concept. Drawing on ethnographic research between 2008 and 2010 in Chiang Mai, Thailand among three non-profit, non-governmental organisations that use volunteer tourism as a social and economic development strategy, this research highlights several key points regarding the semantics of volunteer tourism and its implications for the industry. It was found that none of the 40 volunteer tourists interviewed used ‘volunteer tourism’ as a key word search, only one was familiar with the concept and most rejected the ‘tourist’ label. This research furthers our understanding of the complex nature of how volunteer tourism is defined and desired by contemporary tourists as well as how different organisations and sub-sectors may challenge tourist typologies. Additionally, this research highlights the potential implications of the increased commercialisation of volunteering in the tourism industry, as the long-term image of the industry may be threatened by for-profit, commercial enterprises. Ultimately, despite the diversification of tourist products and markets, all tourist-related typologies continue to connote a certain level of superficiality among some groups that can undermine claims of authenticity by the volunteer tourism industry.

Os grandes projetos urbanos como estratégia de crescimento econômico

Large urban projects are presented as a strategy for economic and social development. The aim of this paper is to study the experiences of Sao Paulo and Rio ...

ART CONVERSION OF THE RUSSIAN TERRITORIES: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AS FACTOR OF SPATIAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPALITIES

Traditional practicians of management by social and economic development of the Russian territories are accented on the approaches connected with involvement of traditional types of resources - material and financial. Thus possibilities of mobilization of intangible assets, updating of historical, cultural uniqueness, - practically aren't considered as a development resource. Questions of social and economic development of the Russian territories are presented in article on the basis of implementation of scenarios of art conversion and development of economy of impressions. Purpose - research of questions of development of economic base of the Russian municipalities on the basis of a humanitarian resource component, formation of the creative industries and art conversion of available objects is. Methodology it is based on systematization of existing tendencies and practical experience of development of the industry of visits in economy of municipalities, and also justification of the directions of implementation of scenarios of art conversion of the Russian territories. Results contain the offers connected with mobilization of humanitarian competences of territories, involvement in projects of social and economic development of municipalities of the new resources mobilizing tendencies of postindustrial development of territories. Practical implications is connected with development of strategy, programs and plans of social and economic development of municipalities. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-4-53