In recent years,knowledge management(KM)theory has become an omnipresent and important element of organisational development.It includes processes intended to improve organisational effectiveness and it describes the ...In recent years,knowledge management(KM)theory has become an omnipresent and important element of organisational development.It includes processes intended to improve organisational effectiveness and it describes the convergence of people,processes,and systems.However,its application is limited to the development of technology for document repository and sharing.To promote new ways of approaching KM,this paper focuses on four knowledge topics:the use of human capital,social capital,structural capital,and artificial intelligence.Accepting that the four components of KM:people,processes,tools,and organisation,are interdependent,nested,and porous,then getting relevant knowledge to those who need it,when they need it,is critical for knowledge transfer.This paper considers whether the recovery of forgotten knowledge will create value for organisations.It proposes a new holistic framework to enhance the transferability of tacit and implicit knowledge in emergency relief organisations.It considers the application of artificial intelligence in the aid sector as a means of achieving this,and it proposes its use for providing ready-to-use knowledge for decision making in emergencies.Using a quantitative and qualitative research approach,this research resolves several ambiguities in the application of the KM discipline within emergency relief organisations.It found that there is no relationship between the employees’age and their attitude to communicating across organisational boundaries to exchange knowledge,yet age is a factor in the use of organisational social networks as a communication tool.Further,it found little difference in the way employees of various designations comprehend the human,structural,and social capital elements of an organisation,yet the importance,selection,and use of each of these elements is dependent on the employees’designation and/or position in the organisational hierarchy.Finally,it found that age is a key factor in the frequency of changing jobs,which contributes to the loss of tacit and implicit knowledge in aid organisations.This paper concludes by providing recommendations for action within each of the five knowledge sharing dimensions:individual,social,managerial,cultural,and structural.展开更多
Accountability, transparency, value addition, legitimacy and overall credibility of non-profit organisations （NPOs）, and good corporate governance have emerged not only as a tool to enhance professionalism but, more...Accountability, transparency, value addition, legitimacy and overall credibility of non-profit organisations （NPOs）, and good corporate governance have emerged not only as a tool to enhance professionalism but, more crucially, to ensure that NPO interventions are effective, sustainable, efficient and positively perceived by all parties. The credibility of an NPO can be improved by adherence to the principles and practices of good corporate governance. A number of South African NPOs are unable to meet the minimum requirements of accountability and good governance practices. The study evaluated the governance structures of selected NPOs in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study tested how the following governance categories, including： NPO＇s legal status; NPO＇s standards of accountability and transparency; NPO＇s leadership, roles, and responsibilities of the executive management; the NPO＇s board, and the extent to which principles of good governance are practiced within the organisation, are applied within the selected cases by way of a questionnaire. Recommendations, around how governance practices within these NPOs can be improved, are forwarded.展开更多
A review of 115 studies on Australian local area traffic management(LATM)schemes covers network planning,computer modelling,overall design considerations,the deployment of various traffic control devices,project evalu...A review of 115 studies on Australian local area traffic management(LATM)schemes covers network planning,computer modelling,overall design considerations,the deployment of various traffic control devices,project evaluation and numerous before and after case studies.However,no research has been published about the formulation of LATM policies and the processes involved that were formulated during the 1970s and 1980s and aimed at discouraging non-local through traffic in residential areas,improving road safety,and improving environmental amenity through physical devices.This paper develops a conceptual model of the interactions amongst institutions of government(state and local),organisations(national research institutes and universities),and civil society(the consulting industry,lobby groups and community action groups).The model is implemented through a series of unstructured interviews with key players involved with research and advocacy,capacity building,and state government policy makers that determined:who was responsible for the governance of LATM schemes?What were the respective roles of institutions and organisations in relation to the early formulation of policies and plans,especially issues of authority?Who were the key players in these institutions and organisations?To what extent did external influences of ideas by overseas agents(policy transfer)occur in decision making?A recently implemented LATM scheme(Seven Ways)by Waverley Council describes the latest approaches,including community participation.The conclusions note the importance of a society investing in road research,having universities capable of delivering high-quality professional development programs,and having a consulting industry that is willing to deliver innovative,practical advice to local governments.Suggestions are made about areas for further research.展开更多
CHINA IOMed Inauguration Ceremony Held The inauguration ceremony of the International Organisation for Mediation(IOMed),headquartered in China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,was held on 20 October,marking ...CHINA IOMed Inauguration Ceremony Held The inauguration ceremony of the International Organisation for Mediation(IOMed),headquartered in China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,was held on 20 October,marking a significant milestone in global conflict resolution.The IOMed is the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation.展开更多
What the newly established mediation body in China’s Hong Kong means for Africa In a world fraying under geopoliti-cal tensions,legal asymmetry,and fragmented global governance,the launch of the International Organis...What the newly established mediation body in China’s Hong Kong means for Africa In a world fraying under geopoliti-cal tensions,legal asymmetry,and fragmented global governance,the launch of the International Organisation for Mediation(IOMed)in China’s Hong Kong on 30 May is much more than a diplomatic novelty.It is a strategic recalibration of how the Global South,particularly African nations,might resolve disputes without surrendering sovereignty or dignity.展开更多
Events in the first few days of September have confirmed what was already in motion.A new rhythm in world affairs is emerging.In Tianjin,a metropolis in north China,Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Global Gov...Events in the first few days of September have confirmed what was already in motion.A new rhythm in world affairs is emerging.In Tianjin,a metropolis in north China,Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Global Governance Initiative(GGI)at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO)Summit.In Beijing,China’s capital,President Xi reviewed troops during a military parade to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.展开更多
Background OneGeology is an initiative of Geological Survey Organisations(GSO)around the globe that dates back to Brighton,UK in 2007.Since then OneGeology has been a leader in developing geological online map data us...Background OneGeology is an initiative of Geological Survey Organisations(GSO)around the globe that dates back to Brighton,UK in 2007.Since then OneGeology has been a leader in developing geological online map data using a new international standard–a geological exchange language known as the‘GeoSciML’.Currently version 3.2 exists,which enables instant interoperability of the data.Increased use of this new language allows geological data to be shared and integrated across the planet with other organisations.In autumn 2013 OneGeology was transformed into a Consortium with a clearly defined governance structure,making its structure more official.展开更多
Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the coun...Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme （AKRSP） has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation （NGO）, and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.展开更多
The paper aims at developing a more comprehensive design theory for designing effective IT architectures based on organizational design principles.It builds on the sociotechnical systems design theory(STS-D)for the de...The paper aims at developing a more comprehensive design theory for designing effective IT architectures based on organizational design principles.It builds on the sociotechnical systems design theory(STS-D)for the design of work,workplaces,and organizations as developed in the Lowlands(The Netherlands and Belgium).Traditional sociotechnical approaches study the effects of the technical system on the social system and try to jointly optimize both systems by end-users’participation.The Lowlands STS-D approach focuses on creating organizational conditions for developing humane and productive organizations.Organizations are considered as social systems.Technical systems need to support the effective functioning of work and control of work within that social system.Therefore,the division of labour is central in the Lowlands STS-D approach.It is articulated in designing the execution tasks(production structure)and control tasks(control structure).Furthermore,it claims that the design of IT architecture follows after organizational design of the production and control structure.This boils down to the design of provisioning of information needed at workplaces and between workplaces.To understand the Lowlands approach for designing IT architecture,called archipelago,we will first in-depth explain its organizational design principles and sequence,and its application for designing IT architecture,which is becoming ever more feasible with new technologies.Furthermore,with this paper we attempt to bridge the different languages used by organizational and IT designers as they should jointly work on the same outcome:humane and productive organizations.展开更多
In general, it can be argued that institutional framework a country or region designs plays a significant role in crafting, applying or even success of public policy. Drawing lessons from how Asia exploited the develo...In general, it can be argued that institutional framework a country or region designs plays a significant role in crafting, applying or even success of public policy. Drawing lessons from how Asia exploited the developmental state＇s concept by designing institutions which targeted key public policy areas such as education, health, domestic savings, and rural development, or aligned infrastructures such as roads, transport and ports, to drive economic development. The paper explores how this approach can be applied in sub-Saharan Africa （or individual countries）. The objective is to extricate constant factors impacting development both in ahistorical and atemporal terms. The investigation is guided by the key question： whether quality of institutions and institutional analysis can help explain development failures in Africa？ Hence, on one part, it probes institutions, institution-making, public policy making and what uniquely the Asian developmental state did that can help illuminate institutional role in policymaking and application. In pursuing this objective, the paper is cognisant of the question by Brousseau et al. asked, regarding generalizability of institutional capabilities, ＂If growth-enhancing institutions are identified in a specific country, can other countries learn from and transplant these＂. The investigation concludes that in public policy and development strategy-making institutions do matter as they delimit or even help create possibilities necessary for development and its sustenance, and to a certain extent, they are the vital constant （factors） that explains development differentiations in different geographic spaces or time periods.展开更多
Quality assessment systems for business organisations and also for vocational schools were established in Estonia at the beginning of 2000s. Almost ten years later, corresponding systems were introduced also for highe...Quality assessment systems for business organisations and also for vocational schools were established in Estonia at the beginning of 2000s. Almost ten years later, corresponding systems were introduced also for higher education institutions （HEIs）. All these assessment systems are based on the European Foundation of Quality Management （EFQM） excellence model. The aim of this paper is to analyse benefits, difficulties, and success factors of quality assessment processes in Estonian business organisations, vocational schools, and HEIs. The study is based on the analysis of feedback questionnaire of 404 representatives from participating organisations （HEIs, vocational schools, and business enterprises） and assessors. Our analysis revealed that quality assessment processes including self-assessment reporting had a positive effect on organisation development and it has given the participants certain benefits and new challenges. As a consequence, knowledge about quality management as well as the self-assessment skills has been improved. The main difficulties were connected to limited time resources and with problems to recognize direct benefits of quality assessment. As substantial difficulties, limitations of analytical and report-writing skills were considered. As the biggest success factor, an involvement of managers on different levels decision making was recognized. The analysis revealed that there are a number of similar benefits and difficulties in the quality assessment systems of different organizations.展开更多
In recent years, a number of organisations have implemented Executive Information Systems （EIS） including Computer-Based Information Systems （CBIS） in order to improve the performance of their executives＇ jobs th...In recent years, a number of organisations have implemented Executive Information Systems （EIS） including Computer-Based Information Systems （CBIS） in order to improve the performance of their executives＇ jobs though the majority of executives are unwilling to use EIS applications because of their design defects. Present researches on Executive Information Systems （EIS） are limited and less focused on the factors associated with EIS successful usage. This research adopts an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model （TAM） to derive useful variables to address the problem of the low usage of EIS by executives due to social factors, habits and facilitation conditions variables in Triandis＇ Framework. It reports on the adoption and usage of EIS by the executives in Organizations. The results show that experience in EIS usage was high with most respondents having used EIS for between 0 to 4 years （72.41%）, followed by the 5-9 years group with 25.86%. However, in terms of ability to use EIS, most executives were at the expert （knowledgeable）, casual user with 37.93%, followed by novice frequent user group with 31.03%. From this research, the authors propose a model that incorporates the habits, social factors and facilitating conditions in an Executive Information Systems.展开更多
The Inter-Parliamentary Union was formed in 1889, gathering, initially, 38 British and French parliamentarians. The IPU （guided, from 1901 up to 1908, by Fredreric Passy and William Randall Cremer）, was to support a...The Inter-Parliamentary Union was formed in 1889, gathering, initially, 38 British and French parliamentarians. The IPU （guided, from 1901 up to 1908, by Fredreric Passy and William Randall Cremer）, was to support and reinforce the objective of extending arbitration as a ＇peaceful tool＇ for resolving the dispute between states. The aftermath of the First World War marked a decisive step forward in the development of a strong liberal internationalist milieux which promoted a peaceful order based on the international rule of law. This paper summarizes some issues of ongoing research and it focuses on two key topics： the rise of parliamentary control of foreign policy and the making of ＇parliamentary diplomacy＇. Besides, it tried to elucidate, from another point of view, the political building of ＇transnational and peaceful politics＇ aimed at the growth of peaceful and ＇progressive＇ social relations among States and how the ＇peaceful politics＇ are subjects that engage the complexity and the deep-rooted issues of State facing to the ＇first globalization＇ and the ＇end of century crisis＇.展开更多
Since the events of 9/11 and the so-called ＂war on terror＂, ＂Muslim＂ has been used synonymously with ＂terrorist＂ dividing particularly those Muslims living in the West into either ＂good＂ Muslims or ＂bad＂ Mus...Since the events of 9/11 and the so-called ＂war on terror＂, ＂Muslim＂ has been used synonymously with ＂terrorist＂ dividing particularly those Muslims living in the West into either ＂good＂ Muslims or ＂bad＂ Muslims. Ed Husain in his memoir The Islamist uses this dichotomy as well as that of the ＂witness＂ in presenting himself as a credible analyst in answering why some young Muslims become attracted to fundamentalist Islamist groups hostile to the West. Ed Husain is a second generation of British Asian Muslim who rejected the Sufi political quietism of his parents for the revolutionary ideologies of Islamic ＂ideologues＂ such as Abul A＇la Maududi, Sayyid Qutb, and particularly Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani, joining Hizb-ut-Tahrir as an active member. Ed Husain＇s story is one of a fractured past, manhood, the search for an authentic Islam, and becoming British.展开更多
This paper sets out a new paradigm of faith based organisation(FBO)called Curating Spaces of Hope.The paper sets out the paradigm and the interdisciplinary literatures into which the paradigm is applied namely,the div...This paper sets out a new paradigm of faith based organisation(FBO)called Curating Spaces of Hope.The paper sets out the paradigm and the interdisciplinary literatures into which the paradigm is applied namely,the diversifying belief landscape in the UK,the postsecular,the redefinition of FBOs,and liminality as the new norm in policy.The paper then turns to ethnographic research to evidence the ability of the paradigm to map and coproduce shared values,before considering applications of Curating Spaces of Hope in post-pandemic contexts in the north west of England through case studies with ecumenical Christian,non-religious,and Turkish Muslim and interfaith contexts.展开更多
Rationale and Aim: Patient safety is of great interest in health care organisations, worldwide. In Sweden, a national patient safety initiative was launched in 2011. The aim of this study was to examine and compare pa...Rationale and Aim: Patient safety is of great interest in health care organisations, worldwide. In Sweden, a national patient safety initiative was launched in 2011. The aim of this study was to examine and compare patient safety culture change over time from health care staffs’ perspective. A further aim was to examine factors that have had an effect on patient safety culture. Methods: Patient safety culture was assessed in 2009, 2011 and 2013 using the Swedish version of the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture. Respondents in this study were registered nurses (n = 2149), enrolled nurses (n = 959), physicians (n = 355) and managers (n = 159) working in three health care divisions in a Swedish county council. Results: Patient safety culture decreased significantly over time for all but two dimensions. The dimension “Information to Patients/Relatives” was the only dimension to increase significantly over time. Health care staffs’ profession and health care division belonging had significant main effects on 14 and 8 dimensions, respectively. Managers and enrolled nurses scored patient safety culture significantly higher than registered nurses and physicians. Health care staff working in a mixed medical-surgical health care division scored significantly higher than those working in medical or surgical divisions did. Conclusions: Despite efforts for patient safety work in the county council, health care staffs’ perceptions of patient safety culture decreased over time. To improve hospital patient safety culture, managers and staff groups must meet and communicate with each other in order to create a common view of patient safety.展开更多
BACKGROUND Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm(MiNEN)is a rare diagnosis,mainly encountered in the gastro-entero-pancreatic tract.There is limited knowledge of its epidemiology,prognosis and biology,and t...BACKGROUND Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm(MiNEN)is a rare diagnosis,mainly encountered in the gastro-entero-pancreatic tract.There is limited knowledge of its epidemiology,prognosis and biology,and the best management for affected patients is still to be defined.AIM To investigate clinical-pathological characteristics,treatment modalities and survival outcomes of a retrospective cohort of patients with a diagnosis of MiNEN.METHODS Consecutive patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of MiNEN were identified at 5 European centres.Patient data were retrospectively collected from medical records.Pathological samples were reviewed to ascertain compliance with the 2017 World Health Organisation definition of MiNEN.Tumour responses to systemic treatment were assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1.Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to estimate survival outcomes.Associations between clinical-pathological characteristics and survival outcomes were explored using Log-rank test for equality of survivors functions(univariate)and Cox-regression analysis(multivariable).RESULTS Sixty-nine consecutive patients identified;Median age at diagnosis:64 years.Males:63.8%.Localised disease(curable):53.6%.Commonest sites of origin:colon-rectum(43.5%)and oesophagus/oesophagogastric junction(15.9%).The neuroendocrine component was;predominant in 58.6%,poorly differentiated in 86.3%,and large cell in 81.25%,of cases analysed.Most distant metastases analysed(73.4%)were occupied only by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component.Ninety-four percent of patients with localised disease underwent curative surgery;53%also received perioperative treatment,most often in line with protocols for adenocarcinomas from the same sites of origin.Chemotherapy was offered to most patients(68.1%)with advanced disease,and followed protocols for pure neuroendocrine carcinomas or adenocarcinomas in equal proportion.In localised cases,median recurrence free survival(RFS);14.0 months(95%CI:9.2-24.4),and median overall survival(OS):28.6 months(95%CI:18.3-41.1).On univariate analysis,receipt of perioperative treatment(vs surgery alone)did not improve RFS(P=0.375),or OS(P=0.240).In advanced cases,median progression free survival(PFS);5.6 months(95%CI:4.4-7.4),and median OS;9.0 months(95%CI:5.2-13.4).On univariate analysis,receipt of palliative active treatment(vs best supportive care)prolonged PFS and OS(both,P<0.001).CONCLUSION MiNEN is most commonly driven by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component,and has poor prognosis.Advances in its biological understanding are needed to identify effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.展开更多
Health related quality of life(HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical parameter and research endpoint in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HRQOL in HCC patients is multifaceted and affec...Health related quality of life(HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical parameter and research endpoint in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HRQOL in HCC patients is multifaceted and affected by medical factor which encompasses HCC and its complications, oncological and palliative treatment for HCC, underlying liver disease, as well as the psychological, social or spiritual reaction to the disease. Many patients presented late with advanced disease and limited survival, plagued with multiple symptoms, rendering QOL a very important aspect in their general well being. Various instruments have been developed and validated to measure and report HRQOL in HCC patients, these included general HRQOL instruments, e.g., Short form(SF)-36, SF-12, Euro Qo L-5D, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment 100(WHOQOL-100), World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment abbreviated version; general cancer HRQOL instruments, e.g., the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC) QLQ-C30, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy(FACT)-General, Spitzer Quality of Life Index; and liver-cancer specific HRQOL instruments, e.g., EORTC QLQ-HCC18, FACT-Hepatobiliary(FACT-Hep), FACT-Hep Symptom Index, Trial Outcome Index. Important utilization of HRQOL in HCC patients included description of symptomatology and HRQOL of patients, treatment endpoint in clinical trial, prognostication of survival, benchmarking of palliative care service and health care valuation. In this review, difficulties regarding the use of HRQOL data in research and clinical practice, including choosing a suitable instrument, problems of missing data, data interpretation, analysis and presentation are examined. Potential solutions are also discussed.展开更多
文摘In recent years,knowledge management(KM)theory has become an omnipresent and important element of organisational development.It includes processes intended to improve organisational effectiveness and it describes the convergence of people,processes,and systems.However,its application is limited to the development of technology for document repository and sharing.To promote new ways of approaching KM,this paper focuses on four knowledge topics:the use of human capital,social capital,structural capital,and artificial intelligence.Accepting that the four components of KM:people,processes,tools,and organisation,are interdependent,nested,and porous,then getting relevant knowledge to those who need it,when they need it,is critical for knowledge transfer.This paper considers whether the recovery of forgotten knowledge will create value for organisations.It proposes a new holistic framework to enhance the transferability of tacit and implicit knowledge in emergency relief organisations.It considers the application of artificial intelligence in the aid sector as a means of achieving this,and it proposes its use for providing ready-to-use knowledge for decision making in emergencies.Using a quantitative and qualitative research approach,this research resolves several ambiguities in the application of the KM discipline within emergency relief organisations.It found that there is no relationship between the employees’age and their attitude to communicating across organisational boundaries to exchange knowledge,yet age is a factor in the use of organisational social networks as a communication tool.Further,it found little difference in the way employees of various designations comprehend the human,structural,and social capital elements of an organisation,yet the importance,selection,and use of each of these elements is dependent on the employees’designation and/or position in the organisational hierarchy.Finally,it found that age is a key factor in the frequency of changing jobs,which contributes to the loss of tacit and implicit knowledge in aid organisations.This paper concludes by providing recommendations for action within each of the five knowledge sharing dimensions:individual,social,managerial,cultural,and structural.
文摘Accountability, transparency, value addition, legitimacy and overall credibility of non-profit organisations （NPOs）, and good corporate governance have emerged not only as a tool to enhance professionalism but, more crucially, to ensure that NPO interventions are effective, sustainable, efficient and positively perceived by all parties. The credibility of an NPO can be improved by adherence to the principles and practices of good corporate governance. A number of South African NPOs are unable to meet the minimum requirements of accountability and good governance practices. The study evaluated the governance structures of selected NPOs in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study tested how the following governance categories, including： NPO＇s legal status; NPO＇s standards of accountability and transparency; NPO＇s leadership, roles, and responsibilities of the executive management; the NPO＇s board, and the extent to which principles of good governance are practiced within the organisation, are applied within the selected cases by way of a questionnaire. Recommendations, around how governance practices within these NPOs can be improved, are forwarded.
文摘A review of 115 studies on Australian local area traffic management(LATM)schemes covers network planning,computer modelling,overall design considerations,the deployment of various traffic control devices,project evaluation and numerous before and after case studies.However,no research has been published about the formulation of LATM policies and the processes involved that were formulated during the 1970s and 1980s and aimed at discouraging non-local through traffic in residential areas,improving road safety,and improving environmental amenity through physical devices.This paper develops a conceptual model of the interactions amongst institutions of government(state and local),organisations(national research institutes and universities),and civil society(the consulting industry,lobby groups and community action groups).The model is implemented through a series of unstructured interviews with key players involved with research and advocacy,capacity building,and state government policy makers that determined:who was responsible for the governance of LATM schemes?What were the respective roles of institutions and organisations in relation to the early formulation of policies and plans,especially issues of authority?Who were the key players in these institutions and organisations?To what extent did external influences of ideas by overseas agents(policy transfer)occur in decision making?A recently implemented LATM scheme(Seven Ways)by Waverley Council describes the latest approaches,including community participation.The conclusions note the importance of a society investing in road research,having universities capable of delivering high-quality professional development programs,and having a consulting industry that is willing to deliver innovative,practical advice to local governments.Suggestions are made about areas for further research.
文摘CHINA IOMed Inauguration Ceremony Held The inauguration ceremony of the International Organisation for Mediation(IOMed),headquartered in China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,was held on 20 October,marking a significant milestone in global conflict resolution.The IOMed is the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation.
文摘What the newly established mediation body in China’s Hong Kong means for Africa In a world fraying under geopoliti-cal tensions,legal asymmetry,and fragmented global governance,the launch of the International Organisation for Mediation(IOMed)in China’s Hong Kong on 30 May is much more than a diplomatic novelty.It is a strategic recalibration of how the Global South,particularly African nations,might resolve disputes without surrendering sovereignty or dignity.
文摘Events in the first few days of September have confirmed what was already in motion.A new rhythm in world affairs is emerging.In Tianjin,a metropolis in north China,Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Global Governance Initiative(GGI)at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO)Summit.In Beijing,China’s capital,President Xi reviewed troops during a military parade to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
文摘Background OneGeology is an initiative of Geological Survey Organisations(GSO)around the globe that dates back to Brighton,UK in 2007.Since then OneGeology has been a leader in developing geological online map data using a new international standard–a geological exchange language known as the‘GeoSciML’.Currently version 3.2 exists,which enables instant interoperability of the data.Increased use of this new language allows geological data to be shared and integrated across the planet with other organisations.In autumn 2013 OneGeology was transformed into a Consortium with a clearly defined governance structure,making its structure more official.
文摘Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme （AKRSP） has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation （NGO）, and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.
文摘The paper aims at developing a more comprehensive design theory for designing effective IT architectures based on organizational design principles.It builds on the sociotechnical systems design theory(STS-D)for the design of work,workplaces,and organizations as developed in the Lowlands(The Netherlands and Belgium).Traditional sociotechnical approaches study the effects of the technical system on the social system and try to jointly optimize both systems by end-users’participation.The Lowlands STS-D approach focuses on creating organizational conditions for developing humane and productive organizations.Organizations are considered as social systems.Technical systems need to support the effective functioning of work and control of work within that social system.Therefore,the division of labour is central in the Lowlands STS-D approach.It is articulated in designing the execution tasks(production structure)and control tasks(control structure).Furthermore,it claims that the design of IT architecture follows after organizational design of the production and control structure.This boils down to the design of provisioning of information needed at workplaces and between workplaces.To understand the Lowlands approach for designing IT architecture,called archipelago,we will first in-depth explain its organizational design principles and sequence,and its application for designing IT architecture,which is becoming ever more feasible with new technologies.Furthermore,with this paper we attempt to bridge the different languages used by organizational and IT designers as they should jointly work on the same outcome:humane and productive organizations.
文摘In general, it can be argued that institutional framework a country or region designs plays a significant role in crafting, applying or even success of public policy. Drawing lessons from how Asia exploited the developmental state＇s concept by designing institutions which targeted key public policy areas such as education, health, domestic savings, and rural development, or aligned infrastructures such as roads, transport and ports, to drive economic development. The paper explores how this approach can be applied in sub-Saharan Africa （or individual countries）. The objective is to extricate constant factors impacting development both in ahistorical and atemporal terms. The investigation is guided by the key question： whether quality of institutions and institutional analysis can help explain development failures in Africa？ Hence, on one part, it probes institutions, institution-making, public policy making and what uniquely the Asian developmental state did that can help illuminate institutional role in policymaking and application. In pursuing this objective, the paper is cognisant of the question by Brousseau et al. asked, regarding generalizability of institutional capabilities, ＂If growth-enhancing institutions are identified in a specific country, can other countries learn from and transplant these＂. The investigation concludes that in public policy and development strategy-making institutions do matter as they delimit or even help create possibilities necessary for development and its sustenance, and to a certain extent, they are the vital constant （factors） that explains development differentiations in different geographic spaces or time periods.
文摘Quality assessment systems for business organisations and also for vocational schools were established in Estonia at the beginning of 2000s. Almost ten years later, corresponding systems were introduced also for higher education institutions （HEIs）. All these assessment systems are based on the European Foundation of Quality Management （EFQM） excellence model. The aim of this paper is to analyse benefits, difficulties, and success factors of quality assessment processes in Estonian business organisations, vocational schools, and HEIs. The study is based on the analysis of feedback questionnaire of 404 representatives from participating organisations （HEIs, vocational schools, and business enterprises） and assessors. Our analysis revealed that quality assessment processes including self-assessment reporting had a positive effect on organisation development and it has given the participants certain benefits and new challenges. As a consequence, knowledge about quality management as well as the self-assessment skills has been improved. The main difficulties were connected to limited time resources and with problems to recognize direct benefits of quality assessment. As substantial difficulties, limitations of analytical and report-writing skills were considered. As the biggest success factor, an involvement of managers on different levels decision making was recognized. The analysis revealed that there are a number of similar benefits and difficulties in the quality assessment systems of different organizations.
文摘In recent years, a number of organisations have implemented Executive Information Systems （EIS） including Computer-Based Information Systems （CBIS） in order to improve the performance of their executives＇ jobs though the majority of executives are unwilling to use EIS applications because of their design defects. Present researches on Executive Information Systems （EIS） are limited and less focused on the factors associated with EIS successful usage. This research adopts an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model （TAM） to derive useful variables to address the problem of the low usage of EIS by executives due to social factors, habits and facilitation conditions variables in Triandis＇ Framework. It reports on the adoption and usage of EIS by the executives in Organizations. The results show that experience in EIS usage was high with most respondents having used EIS for between 0 to 4 years （72.41%）, followed by the 5-9 years group with 25.86%. However, in terms of ability to use EIS, most executives were at the expert （knowledgeable）, casual user with 37.93%, followed by novice frequent user group with 31.03%. From this research, the authors propose a model that incorporates the habits, social factors and facilitating conditions in an Executive Information Systems.
文摘The Inter-Parliamentary Union was formed in 1889, gathering, initially, 38 British and French parliamentarians. The IPU （guided, from 1901 up to 1908, by Fredreric Passy and William Randall Cremer）, was to support and reinforce the objective of extending arbitration as a ＇peaceful tool＇ for resolving the dispute between states. The aftermath of the First World War marked a decisive step forward in the development of a strong liberal internationalist milieux which promoted a peaceful order based on the international rule of law. This paper summarizes some issues of ongoing research and it focuses on two key topics： the rise of parliamentary control of foreign policy and the making of ＇parliamentary diplomacy＇. Besides, it tried to elucidate, from another point of view, the political building of ＇transnational and peaceful politics＇ aimed at the growth of peaceful and ＇progressive＇ social relations among States and how the ＇peaceful politics＇ are subjects that engage the complexity and the deep-rooted issues of State facing to the ＇first globalization＇ and the ＇end of century crisis＇.
文摘Since the events of 9/11 and the so-called ＂war on terror＂, ＂Muslim＂ has been used synonymously with ＂terrorist＂ dividing particularly those Muslims living in the West into either ＂good＂ Muslims or ＂bad＂ Muslims. Ed Husain in his memoir The Islamist uses this dichotomy as well as that of the ＂witness＂ in presenting himself as a credible analyst in answering why some young Muslims become attracted to fundamentalist Islamist groups hostile to the West. Ed Husain is a second generation of British Asian Muslim who rejected the Sufi political quietism of his parents for the revolutionary ideologies of Islamic ＂ideologues＂ such as Abul A＇la Maududi, Sayyid Qutb, and particularly Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani, joining Hizb-ut-Tahrir as an active member. Ed Husain＇s story is one of a fractured past, manhood, the search for an authentic Islam, and becoming British.
文摘This paper sets out a new paradigm of faith based organisation(FBO)called Curating Spaces of Hope.The paper sets out the paradigm and the interdisciplinary literatures into which the paradigm is applied namely,the diversifying belief landscape in the UK,the postsecular,the redefinition of FBOs,and liminality as the new norm in policy.The paper then turns to ethnographic research to evidence the ability of the paradigm to map and coproduce shared values,before considering applications of Curating Spaces of Hope in post-pandemic contexts in the north west of England through case studies with ecumenical Christian,non-religious,and Turkish Muslim and interfaith contexts.
文摘Rationale and Aim: Patient safety is of great interest in health care organisations, worldwide. In Sweden, a national patient safety initiative was launched in 2011. The aim of this study was to examine and compare patient safety culture change over time from health care staffs’ perspective. A further aim was to examine factors that have had an effect on patient safety culture. Methods: Patient safety culture was assessed in 2009, 2011 and 2013 using the Swedish version of the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture. Respondents in this study were registered nurses (n = 2149), enrolled nurses (n = 959), physicians (n = 355) and managers (n = 159) working in three health care divisions in a Swedish county council. Results: Patient safety culture decreased significantly over time for all but two dimensions. The dimension “Information to Patients/Relatives” was the only dimension to increase significantly over time. Health care staffs’ profession and health care division belonging had significant main effects on 14 and 8 dimensions, respectively. Managers and enrolled nurses scored patient safety culture significantly higher than registered nurses and physicians. Health care staff working in a mixed medical-surgical health care division scored significantly higher than those working in medical or surgical divisions did. Conclusions: Despite efforts for patient safety work in the county council, health care staffs’ perceptions of patient safety culture decreased over time. To improve hospital patient safety culture, managers and staff groups must meet and communicate with each other in order to create a common view of patient safety.
文摘BACKGROUND Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm(MiNEN)is a rare diagnosis,mainly encountered in the gastro-entero-pancreatic tract.There is limited knowledge of its epidemiology,prognosis and biology,and the best management for affected patients is still to be defined.AIM To investigate clinical-pathological characteristics,treatment modalities and survival outcomes of a retrospective cohort of patients with a diagnosis of MiNEN.METHODS Consecutive patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of MiNEN were identified at 5 European centres.Patient data were retrospectively collected from medical records.Pathological samples were reviewed to ascertain compliance with the 2017 World Health Organisation definition of MiNEN.Tumour responses to systemic treatment were assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1.Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to estimate survival outcomes.Associations between clinical-pathological characteristics and survival outcomes were explored using Log-rank test for equality of survivors functions(univariate)and Cox-regression analysis(multivariable).RESULTS Sixty-nine consecutive patients identified;Median age at diagnosis:64 years.Males:63.8%.Localised disease(curable):53.6%.Commonest sites of origin:colon-rectum(43.5%)and oesophagus/oesophagogastric junction(15.9%).The neuroendocrine component was;predominant in 58.6%,poorly differentiated in 86.3%,and large cell in 81.25%,of cases analysed.Most distant metastases analysed(73.4%)were occupied only by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component.Ninety-four percent of patients with localised disease underwent curative surgery;53%also received perioperative treatment,most often in line with protocols for adenocarcinomas from the same sites of origin.Chemotherapy was offered to most patients(68.1%)with advanced disease,and followed protocols for pure neuroendocrine carcinomas or adenocarcinomas in equal proportion.In localised cases,median recurrence free survival(RFS);14.0 months(95%CI:9.2-24.4),and median overall survival(OS):28.6 months(95%CI:18.3-41.1).On univariate analysis,receipt of perioperative treatment(vs surgery alone)did not improve RFS(P=0.375),or OS(P=0.240).In advanced cases,median progression free survival(PFS);5.6 months(95%CI:4.4-7.4),and median OS;9.0 months(95%CI:5.2-13.4).On univariate analysis,receipt of palliative active treatment(vs best supportive care)prolonged PFS and OS(both,P<0.001).CONCLUSION MiNEN is most commonly driven by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component,and has poor prognosis.Advances in its biological understanding are needed to identify effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.
文摘Health related quality of life(HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical parameter and research endpoint in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HRQOL in HCC patients is multifaceted and affected by medical factor which encompasses HCC and its complications, oncological and palliative treatment for HCC, underlying liver disease, as well as the psychological, social or spiritual reaction to the disease. Many patients presented late with advanced disease and limited survival, plagued with multiple symptoms, rendering QOL a very important aspect in their general well being. Various instruments have been developed and validated to measure and report HRQOL in HCC patients, these included general HRQOL instruments, e.g., Short form(SF)-36, SF-12, Euro Qo L-5D, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment 100(WHOQOL-100), World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment abbreviated version; general cancer HRQOL instruments, e.g., the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC) QLQ-C30, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy(FACT)-General, Spitzer Quality of Life Index; and liver-cancer specific HRQOL instruments, e.g., EORTC QLQ-HCC18, FACT-Hepatobiliary(FACT-Hep), FACT-Hep Symptom Index, Trial Outcome Index. Important utilization of HRQOL in HCC patients included description of symptomatology and HRQOL of patients, treatment endpoint in clinical trial, prognostication of survival, benchmarking of palliative care service and health care valuation. In this review, difficulties regarding the use of HRQOL data in research and clinical practice, including choosing a suitable instrument, problems of missing data, data interpretation, analysis and presentation are examined. Potential solutions are also discussed.
