Central Government Support Research Articles

Providing free treatment for severe mental disorders in China.

Providing free treatment for severe mental disorders in China.

Technology Transferring Performance of Chinese Universities: Insights from Patent Licensing Data

This paper had collected the patent licensing documents of all Chinese universities and made a comprehensive study on licensing performance. With a whole set of data from SIPO, the exact licensing frequency number and licensing propensity number of Chinese universities had been obtained for the first time. On average, 16.03 patents (6%) per university had been licensed out to the industry, which is much lower than expectations. The frequency of licensing, propensity of licensing, number of partners (licensees), number of patent stocks, local-transfer ratio and the distribution of licensing frequency in terms of university-firm distance had been obtained in details. Five hypotheses had been made to discover the variances in university licensing performance. With the ANOVA technique, five hypotheses had been confirmed within the dataset, which had revealed a significant effect of patent stocks, local economic performance, central government support, existence of TTO and local government administration on university licensing performance.

Environmental Restoration in the Shiyang River Basin, China: Conservation, Reallocation and More Efficient Use of Water

Overexploitation of water resources in the Shiyang River Basin, an inland river in Gansu, China has promoted a prosperous agricultural economy but at the same time caused downstream flows to sharply reduce and the groundwater table to fall rapidly. This has degraded local ecosystems and caused the terminal lake to completely dry up. A project for addressing these problems was initiated aimed at rescuing a downstream oasis that was at risk of being buried by the moving dunes. During the project implementation, the irrigation area has been decreased, a water conservation program introduced and water use reallocated between upstream and downstream users and between economic and ecosystem services. Positive results have started to appear. The main factors in this preliminary success are positive political will and central government support; the acceptance and wide participation by water users and the establishment of a powerful integrated water resources management organisation.

The Structure of Sub-National Public Debt: Liquidity vs Credit Risks

We analyse the determinants of the structure of public debt in the case of Spain, from a sub-national perspective. The endogenous shift in the composition of debt (among shortvs long-term instruments, and loans vs securities) depends on observable measures of credit and liquidity risks. To discriminate among competing potential determinants, we set out empirical models that incorporate financial, economic and institutional variables. We estimate the models by GMM and make use of a new quarterly dataset of Spanish regional governments’ debt structure for the period 1995Q1-2012Q4. Our results show that the most robust determinants of regional public financial management decisions, as reflected by the structure of debt, are rollover risks and the expectation of central government support (as measured by the dynamics of transfers).

Intermediary roles and payments for ecosystem services: A typology and program feasibility application in Panama

Intermediaries in payments for ecosystem services (PES) play diverse roles in facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers. From the literature, we identified major roles including information exchange; program design; networking, representation, and mediation; and administration and project coordination; and we evaluated these roles alongside crosscutting institutional factors of influence, process, and context. We applied this typology to a Western Panama case study informing PES feasibility using semi-structured interviews with 34 intermediary organizations to understand current and potential future PES roles, capacity, and connections. We found broad capacity to perform intermediary roles and ways in which the limitations of one organization (or sector) could be compensated for by another organization (sector) through partnerships. The strongest organization-to-organization connections were found between the civil and public sectors working at the local and regional scales, and between intermediaries overall and “supply-side” landowners. While beneficial, these connections highlight the need to ensure that the interests of weakly connected actors, particularly potential buyers, are adequately represented; furthermore, uncertain central government support may affect program development at the regional scale. Our study advances a more synthetic understanding of the intermediary actor landscape in relation to PES institutional analysis, which can inform future project-specific and theoretical analyses.

지방자치단체 자체 복지사업 지출 영향요인 분석 : 사회보장정보시스템을 통한 접근

Researchers in welfare services of local government in Korea have rather been on isolated issues as disables, childcare, aging phenomenon, etc. (Kang, 2004; Jung et al., 2009). Lately, local officials, yet, realize that they need more comprehensive welfare services for all residents, not just for above-mentioned focused groups. Still cases dealt with focused group approach have been a main research stream due to various reason(Jung et al., 2009; Lee, 2009; Jang, 2011). Social Security Information System is an information system that comprehensively manages 292 welfare benefits provided by 17 ministries and 40 thousand welfare services provided by 230 local authorities in Korea. The purpose of the system is to improve efficiency of social welfare delivery process. The study of local government expenditure has been on the rise over the last few decades after the restarting the local autonomy, but these studies have limitations on data collection. Measurement of a local government`s welfare efforts(spending) has been primarily on expenditures or budget for an individual, set aside for welfare. This practice of using monetary value for an individual as a "proxy value" for welfare effort(spending) is based on the assumption that expenditure is directly linked to welfare efforts(Lee et al., 2007). This expenditure/budget approach commonly uses total welfare amount or percentage figure as dependent variables (Wildavsky, 1985; Lee et al., 2007; Kang, 2000). However, current practice of using actual amount being used or percentage figure as a dependent variable may have some limitation; since budget or expenditure is greatly influenced by the total budget of a local government, relying on such monetary value may create inflate or deflate the true "welfare effort" (Jang, 2012). In addition, government budget usually contain a large amount of administrative cost, i.e., salary, for local officials, which is highly unrelated to the actual welfare expenditure (Jang, 2011). This paper used local government welfare service data from the detailed data sets linked to the Social Security Information System. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the factors that affect social welfare spending of 230 local authorities in 2012. The paper applied multiple regression based model to analyze the pooled financial data from the system. Based on the regression analysis, the following factors affecting self-funded welfare spending were identified. In our research model, we use the welfare budget/total budget(%) of a local government as a true measurement for a local government`s welfare effort(spending). Doing so, we exclude central government subsidies or support being used for local welfare service. It is because central government welfare support does not truly reflect the welfare efforts(spending) of a local. The dependent variable of this paper is the volume of the welfare spending and the independent variables of the model are comprised of three categories, in terms of socio-demographic perspectives, the local economy and the financial capacity of local government. This paper categorized local authorities into 3 groups, districts, and cities and suburb areas. The model used a dummy variable as the control variable (local political factor). This paper demonstrated that the volume of the welfare spending for the welfare services is commonly influenced by the ratio of welfare budget to total local budget, the population of infants, self-reliance ratio and the level of unemployment factor. Interestingly, the influential factors are different by the size of local government. Analysis of determinants of local government self-welfare spending, we found a significant effect of local Gov. Finance characteristic in degree of the local government`s financial independence, financial independence rate, rate of social welfare budget, and regional economic in opening-to-application ratio, and sociology of population in rate of infants. The result means that local authorities should have differentiated welfare strategies according to their conditions and circumstances. There is a meaning that this paper has successfully proven the significant factors influencing welfare spending of local government in Korea.

한 광역자치도에서 국립대병원과 지방의료원간 협력체계 구축 사례의 성립 요인 및 과정평가

This study aimed to explore influencing factors on the establishment of the network system between public hospitals and to make a process evaluation of it. we analyzed the case of a strategic alliance contracted by a National University Hospital(NUH) and a Community Hospital(CH). Main points of the project were regular dispatch of clinical specialists in the NUH such as gastroenterologist and running teleradiology program. The NUH considered the improvement of it's image as a public hospital as a successful element of the network program. The provincial office which have to manage the CH satisfied with these program in terms of helping CH in need of clinical specialists. Staffs in the CH pointed out the problem of discontinuity for patients who visited the CH. Three institutes argued that continuous support of central government in the relevant institution and budget could play the most important role in the advance of the network system between public hospitals.

Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator Programme – Post-Experience Usage Patterns, Driver Attitudes and Behavioural Change

The UK’s Technology Strategy Board, with central and regional government support, has funded the world’s largest multi-site demonstration trial of ultra-low carbon passenger cars. 349 cars have been deployed, supported by the installation of approximately 500 electrical charging points. The trial will help the UK Government, vehicle manufacturers and energy suppliers understand how people use these cars and how they feel about them. Eight project teams each comprising at least one vehicle manufacturer, an energy supplier, a local authority, infrastructure provider and a university have gained funding. The trial includes two separate research activities: 1. Usage patterns – including time and duration of journeys, energy used and charging location. 2. User perception – questionnaires and interviews with users before, during and after the trial to help understand their feelings about the car and if they have adapted to use it. The first 65 cars were handed over to users on 13th December 2009. By December 2011, 349 vehicles from 19 manufacturers had been deployed over a mix of private domestic, company pool or fleet vehicles. The vehicles have undertaken over 180,000 trips covering over 1,000,000 miles. The vehicle models include the plug-in electric Tata Indica, Mercedes Smart ForTwo, Nissan Leaf, Ford Transit Connect; BMW Mini-E, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Allied conversions of the Peugeot Tepee MPVs; the hydrogen fuelled Microcab; and performance electric sports cars including the Delta E4 Coupe and the Ecotricity conversion of the Lotus Exige. The fleet also includes plug-in versions of the diesel hybrid Land Rover Range-E and the petrol hybrid Toyota Prius. This paper provides details of the programme and results of the research to date, focusing especially on vehicle usage and perception data from the first three months of vehicle trials.

Western Australia's Mental Health Commission

PurposeMachinery of government changes and budget strategy are powerful levers to drive reform in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale, progress and challenges in the establishment of Western Australia's Mental Health Commission in 2010 with policy, planning and purchasing powers to drive reform.Design/methodology/approachThis case study is based on the observations of the author who had a lead role in the establishment of the Commission over its first two years. It sets this reform in the context of the whole of government reforms as well as demands for reform from stakeholders within the mental health sector.FindingsIt is demonstrated that externally imposed change is often necessary to fundamental reform. However, it also comes with risks of alienation of key stakeholders in powerful roles and an under‐estimation of the factors that will hamper change. Central government support has been essential to the establishment of the Commission.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper relies on the observations of a key participant in the reform process. This brings the limitations of potential bias as well as the strength of understanding that is difficult for outsiders to access.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies some of the practical strategies that mitigate the risks associated with system change.Social implicationsThis reform has been useful to showcase a range of other social policy reforms demonstrating the opportunities that strong political leadership offers when linked to policy and administrative change.Originality/valueThis analysis of the progress of reform highlights a range of issues that can inform other governments and community stakeholders undertaking major reform in the public sector as well as particular issues for reform in mental health.

Making the link between building control and planning

A depressed building industry needs help and assistance from the building control and planning process. The shrinking public sector purse, the Coalition Government's review of both the building control and planning systems, systems being too ‘output’-focused, and the needs of the end user are drivers to change. Development management promotes pro-active planning, and should be at the hub of a framework supporting a shift towards the facilitation and encouragement of development. There must be closer contact with developers and wider business engagement, and there is a need for more clearly defined policies for developers. Change must happen, with openness and willingness on all sides, and crucially, with the support of central government.

Integration of hospital and community services-the '686 Project'-is a crucial component in the reform of China's mental health services.

Integration of hospital and community services-the '686 Project'-is a crucial component in the reform of China's mental health services.

Outlook for the Securitisation Market

Securitisation issuance has slumped in recent years, with the market having become increasingly dependent on central bank and government support in both Europe and the United States. Despite facing a number of threats that could inhibit a recovery in the shorter term, the securitisation market is expected to recover over a longer term horizon. Funding costs have improved, but investor confidence in the asset class remains weak, and the impact of regulatory reform is as yet difficult to fully assess. A long-term sustainable recovery for the securitisation market remains in the hands of regulators and policy makers. They must be awake to the possibility that a recovery in securitisation markets could be a prerequisite to unlocking credit markets in general and supporting a wider global economic recovery.

Who Should Control the Integrated Management System for Sewerage Facilities in the Upper Reaches of Multi-Purpose Dams in Korea?

Integrated management systems (IMS) that control entire sewerage facilities in the upper reaches of multi-purpose dams are being constructed for their efficient operation and management. However, because the IMS installed in a watershed belong to several local government bodies, significant conflict would be expected between stakeholders in the process of deciding who should control the IMS after completion of the construction that was initially implemented under the support of central government. The objective of this study was to suggest a decision making to determine who should control the IMS for sewerage facilities in the upper reaches of multi- purpose dams in Korea, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Three alternatives were selected to determine who should control the IMS for sewerage facilities: commissioning to public corporations, commissioning to private corporations, and a role-sharing part- nership. In using the AHP technique, the emphasis was on comparing public interests, economics, efficiency, sustainability, specialty, grievance mediation and receptiveness. As a result, building a role-sharing partnership received the highest score. Commissioning to a special institute was also suggested as an alternative as this showed a score similar to that of building a role-sharing partnership.

Institutional Change, Economic Conditions and Confidence in Government: Evidence from Belgium

Previous work on economic voting suggests that federal or multilevel institutions have important influences on the relationship of economic conditions and government support through blurring lines of responsibility. Building on these prior findings, the present work considers the extent to which the 1993 introduction of a formal federal constitution in Belgium might weaken economic effects on central government support. Using both aggregate objective and subjective economic indicators, results from popularity functions suggest that economic effects are weakened after the 1993 introduction of formal federal institutions in Belgium.

A forecast of the performance of China in the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 and the underlying performance management issues

This paper is concerned with making a forecast of the number of gold medals that China will win as host nation at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Historical data reveal that China's achievement in the Olympic Games has shown considerable improvement by all commonly used performance measures. However, China's success is heavily dependent upon four key sports and the performance of its women athletes who significantly outperform their male counterparts. A review of previous research reveals that reliance on population and gross domestic product as predictors of Olympic success underestimated the performance in Athens 2004 of some nations taking a strategic approach to elite sport development. For these nations, regressing gold medals won over time produced more accurate predictions of actual gold medals won in 2004 than a multivariate regression based on macro-economic variables. Based on our analysis, we forecast that China will win 46 gold medals in Beijing 2008. In making our forecast, we sound a note of caution that in some sports China has little room for improvement and in others with high number of medals available, notably athletics and swimming, there is no current evidence of China developing significant gold medal winning capability. However, China's ambitions are underpinned by strong central government support, the extensive use of performance management principles, and seemingly little concern for the issue of value for money. Under these conditions, China's approach to developing medal winning capability suggests that the strategies of priority and diversity are not mutually exclusive. For nations which have stated ambitions about the level of success they wish to achieve in the future, the principles raised in this case study of China are equally applicable.

Effective Regulations with Little Effect? The Antecedents of the Perceptions of Environmental Officials on Enforcement Effectiveness in China

Enforcement gaps are an especially vexing problem in China due to pervasive "pro-growth" local government priorities, the weak administrative capacity of environmental agencies themselves, and relatively weak levels of societal support for a cleaner environment. This study seeks to examine this problem from the perspective of the local enforcement officials by empirically examining the relationships between these and other influences on their perceptions of enforcement effectiveness. Using samples of enforcement officials from the fast-growing cities of Chengdu, Dalian, and Guangzhou, this study finds that many of the more commonly cited problems related to regulatory enforcement were not as influential in accounting for variations in perceptions of enforcement effectiveness than the current literature might suggest. Moreover, this study also finds that the pattern of influences varies greatly across jurisdictions, with only the officials' belief in the legitimacy of the governments' policies being significant in all three samples. Strong influences on perceptions of enforcement effectiveness in two of the three samples include the environmental values of enforcement officials, their perceptions of organizational capacity for enforcement, and their assessment of government support for environmental protection. Although government support was found to be a strong predictor of enforcement effectiveness in two of the three samples, the influence of societal support had a somewhat mixed and more complicated effect. In addition, this study suggests that further improvements in enforcement effectiveness may be possible by cultivating or selecting enforcement officials with strong environmental values and beliefs in the legitimacy of the government's environmental policy to take charge of enforcement. Because it is generally accepted that local environmental protection bureaus are generally upgrading their organizational capacity for improvement as the result of increasing central government support for environmental protection and institutional restructuring, and because environmental awareness in China is growing, this study suggests that some incremental progress is likely in China's efforts to close the enforcement gap. Unfortunately, such improvements are likely to be masked by the steep trajectory of economic growth, the narrow scope of regulatory control (i.e., with scant attention paid to nonindustrial sources), and the migration of industrial pollution to rural areas.

Geographic information portals––a UK perspective

This paper presents a review and interpretation of the development of geoportals in the United Kingdom. We describe the sources and levels of UK central government support for e-government, and the ways in which these have been used, alongside existing sources of spatial framework data, to develop geoportals. We then summarise the salient technical and organisational characteristics of geoportals that have been created at the local, regional and national scales, before assessing the state-of-play in the development of geoportals and evaluating future prospects.

Geographic information portals––a UK perspective

This paper presents a review and interpretation of the development of geoportals in the United Kingdom. We describe the sources and levels of UK central government support for e-government, and the ways in which these have been used, alongside existing sources of spatial framework data, to develop geoportals. We then summarise the salient technical and organisational characteristics of geoportals that have been created at the local, regional and national scales, before assessing the state-of-play in the development of geoportals and evaluating future prospects.

From development awareness to enabling effective support: the changing profile of development education in England

AbstractDevelopment Education (DE) finds a significant part of its public face in England through the activities of local NGOs/Development Education Centres (DECs). DECs have emerged over a period of about 30 years as civil society institutions with little central government support. The creation of a Department for International Development (DFID) in 1997 encouraged fresh engagement with central government. The paper shows how inter‐organisational relations deteriorated after 2000 producing disillusion. The paper then reflects on structural reasons for this process and finds clues in how the concept of citizenship has historically emerged. The paper concludes that changing the public face of development education depends on changes in governance in the UK. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Local Politics of Decentralized Environmental Policy in Guatemala

This article identifies the conditions leading to successful decentralized environmental management in the developing world. It focuses on Guatemala, a country where lawmakers have devolved forest protection to 331 municipalities. This study is based on an original survey of 100 randomly chosen mayors who held office between 1996 and 2000 and a database constructed from several national censuses that include geographic, demographic, socioeconomic, and biophysical variables. It suggests that local community pressure and central government support encourage mayors to value forest protection. Survey results also indicate that mayors allocate staff to forest protection when the central government makes this a priority. Mayors also dedicate personnel to this sector when they have more education and when their municipalities boast larger amounts of forested area.