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Plans

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences38%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting15%
Humanities and Social Sciences13%
Life Sciences12%
Engineering5%
Earth and Environmental Science3%
Psychology3%
Mathematics and Statistics2%
6 Other Domains9%
Distribution within Medical Sciences
Health & Social Care7%
Neurology5%
76 Other Subdomains81%

Kinds of Plans

  • action plan
  • ambitious plan
  • analysis plan
  • appropriate plan
  • benefit plan
  • biodiversity action plan
  • body plan
  • business plan
  • care health plan
  • care plan
  • chordate body plan
  • compensation plan
  • conservation plan
  • contingency plan
  • contribution plan
    		•
  • defined contribution plan
  • development plan
  • drug plan
  • educational plan
  • emergency plan
  • evaluation plan
  • five-year plan
  • future plan
  • ground plan
  • health care plan
  • health insurance plan
  • health plan
  • implementation plan
  • incentive plan
  • insurance plan
    		•
  • intervention plan
  • investment plan
  • lesson plan
  • managed care health plan
  • managed care plan
  • management plan
  • master plan
  • new plan
  • operational plan
  • option plan
  • parenting plan
  • pension plan
  • preparedness plan
  • production plan
  • recovery plan
    		•
  • research plan
  • response plan
  • retirement plan
  • sampling plan
  • species survival plan
  • specific plan
  • strategic plan
  • surgical plan
  • survival plan
  • therapeutic plan
  • treatment plan
  • uk biodiversity action plan
  • work plan

    • Terms modified by Plans

  • plan behavior
  • plan behaviour
    		•
  • plan choice
  • plan design
    		•
  • plan member
  • plan type
    		•
  • plan view

    • Selected Abstracts

    THE HOWARD-TURNBULL NATIONAL PLAN FOR WATER SECURITY OF JANUARY 2007: RESCUE OR REJECTION?

    ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2008
    ALISTAIR WATSON
    A ten-point, ten-year, ten billion dollar National Plan for Water Security was announced by the (then) Howard Government in January 2007. The Plan was supported by State governments, with the exception of Victoria. The (then) Opposition supported legislation in August 2007 to implement the Plan. The main part of the Plan was investment in off-farm and on-farm irrigation infrastructure, ostensibly to promote water use efficiency. A smaller programme was proposed for buyback of irrigation water for environmental purposes. Various economic criteria would favour the opposite emphasis. Investment by governments in private irrigation infrastructure goes against the spirit of other recent policy changes and, for economic and technical reasons, is unlikely to achieve its objectives. Buyback for environmental purposes should continue, subject to appropriate procedures and discipline in the selection of environmental projects. Recent developments highlight continuing controversies over policy and administration of the Murray-Darling Basin. [source]

    III. CODING, ANALYTIC PLAN, AND PRELIMINARY ANALYSES

    MONOGRAPHS OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2005
    Article first published online: 12 SEP 200
    First page of article [source]

    China's Maritime Evolution: Military and Commercial Factors

    PACIFIC FOCUS, Issue 2 2007
    Andrew S. Erickson
    China is rapidly emerging as a maritime power, with global commercial and regional military influence. Historically preoccupied with securing its land borders, China is now becoming increasingly reliant on the sea to import energy and raw materials as well as transport finished goods to market. Maritime security, therefore, is becoming a more serious strategic concern for Beijing. China's maritime industry contributed roughly 10 percent of national economic output in 2006 and its share of the national economy will likely rise sharply in coming years. As Chinese maritime interests continue to globalize, questions arise concerning the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN),s ability to secure key sea lines of communication (SLOC) in a time of crisis. This disparity arises in part because China's PLAN is currently structured primarily to address sovereignty claims on China's maritime periphery, particularly concerning the status of Taiwan. It is unclear whether China will continue to rely on the U.S. Navy to maintain international SLOC security. Reshaping the PLAN into a "blue water" force capable of protecting sea lanes far from China would be an expensive and strategically provocative venture. This analysis examines the role that China's rapid commercial maritime development could play in driving such a transformation and offers barometers that might indicate if China were to pursue such a course. [source]

    AUSTRALIAN EARLY RETIREMENT TAX BIASES PRIOR TO JULY 2007 AND THE LIKELY EFFECTS OF TAX REFORM ON RETIREMENT PLANS

    ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 3 2008
    BRUCE FELMINGHAM
    We develop a simulation model explaining the accrual of retirement wealth gained from working one year beyond retirement and from this calculate an implicit tax rate on the additional year's work. We find that the pre-July 2007 Australian tax on retirement benefits was biased in favour of ages 59 and less, while the implicit rate was positive on retirement past 59. We also use the results of a national survey of 2,500 households (ASRAM SURVEY) to determine the likely response to the tax changes implemented in July 2007 and find that half those sampled are either very likely or likely to change their expected retirement dates in response to the tax changes. [source]

    CREATING VALUE IN PENSION PLANS (OR, GENTLEMEN PREFER BONDS)

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 4 2003
    Jeremy Gold
    Pension funds are typically one-half to two-thirds invested in equities because equities are expected to outperform other financial assets over the long term, and the long-term nature of pension fund liabilities seems well suited to absorbing any short-term return volatility. What's more, U.S. GAAP currently makes it possible to take credit in advance for the higher anticipated earnings on equity investments without acknowledging their inherent risk. But by allowing the higher expected returns from stocks to reduce a company's current pension expenses, the accounting treatment conflicts with some very basic principles of finance (in particular, the idea that investors must earn higher returns on riskier investments just to "break even"), conceals systematic biases in the actuarial analysis, and gives managers considerable latitude to manipulate the bottom line. The authors suggest a startlingly different approach. They argue that pension assets should be invested entirely in duration-matched debt instruments for two reasons: (1) to capture the full tax benefits of pre-funding their pension obligations and (2) to improve overall corporate risk profiles by converting general stock market risk into firm-specific operating risk, where corporate managers should have a comparative advantage and can generate real value. Investing exclusively in bonds would take better advantage of the tax-exempt status of pension plans and greatly reduce fund management costs, while at the same time helping o shore up fund quality and sharpening corporate executives' focus on their real operating assets. [source]

    IMPLICATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE EMISSION TRADING PLANS: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE

    PACIFIC ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 2 2006
    Neil J. Buckley
    Theory suggests the long-run equilibria of the plans will differ with baselines proportional to output. To test this prediction we develop a computerized environment in which subjects representing firms can adjust their emission rates and capacity levels and trade emission rights in a sealed-bid auction. Demand for output is simulated. We report on six laboratory sessions with variable emissions rates, but fixed capacity: three each with the cap-and-trade and baseline-and-credit mechanisms. [source]

    HOW DO MANAGERS BEHAVE IN STOCK OPTION PLANS?

    THE JOURNAL OF FINANCIAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2009
    CLINICAL EVIDENCE FROM EXERCISE AND SURVEY DATA
    Abstract We use unique case study data to analyze the behavior of top managers in an executive stock option plan. We gather questionnaire data on the managers' traits and combine it with exercise data. Managers in our sample expect low volatilities (compared to historical estimates) and are well diversified and modestly risk averse. This implies that the value,cost wedge of options can be smaller than usually assumed. The exercise decisions vary with expected volatility, managerial wealth, and mental accounting. Managers expecting lower volatility exercise earlier. This result is consistent with the predictions of expected utility models using our managers' survey parameters. [source]

    Priority Wetland Invertebrates as Conservation Surrogates

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    S. J. ORMEROD
    agua dulce; caracoles; conservación; especies paraguas; especies sustitutas; gasterópodos Abstract:,Invertebrates are important functionally in most ecosystems, but seldom appraised as surrogate indicators of biological diversity. Priority species might be good candidates; thus, here we evaluated whether three freshwater invertebrates listed in the U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan indicated the richness, composition, and conservation importance of associated wetland organisms as defined respectively by their alpha diversity, beta diversity, and threat status. Sites occupied by each of the gastropods Segmentina nitida, Anisus vorticulus, and Valvata macrostoma had greater species richness of gastropods and greater conservation importance than other sites. Each also characterized species assemblages associated with significant variations between locations in alpha or beta diversity among other mollusks and aquatic macrophytes. Because of their distinct resource requirements, conserving the three priority species extended the range of wetland types under management for nature conservation by 18% and the associated gastropod niche-space by around 33%. Although nonpriority species indicated variations in richness, composition, and conservation importance among other organisms as effectively as priority species, none characterized such a wide range of high-quality wetland types. We conclude that priority invertebrates are no more effective than nonpriority species as indicators of alpha and beta diversity or conservation importance among associated organisms. Nevertheless, conserving priority species can extend the array of distinct environments that are protected for their specialized biodiversity and environmental quality. We suggest that this is a key role for priority species and conservation surrogates more generally, and, on our evidence, can best be delivered through multiple species with contrasting habitat requirements. Resumen:,Los invertebrados son funcionalmente importantes en la mayoría de los ecosistemas, pero raramente son valorados como indicadores sustitutos de la diversidad biológica. Las especies prioritarias pueden ser buenos candidatos; por lo tanto, aquí evaluamos sí tres especies de invertebrados enlistados en el Plan de Acción para la Biodiversidad del Reino Unido eran indicadores de la riqueza, la composición e importancia para la conservación de organismos de humedal asociados definida por su diversidad alfa, diversidad beta y estatus de amenaza respectivamente. Los sitios ocupados por cada uno de los gasterópodos Segmentina nitida, Anisus vorticulus and Valvata macrostoma tuvieron una mucho mayor riqueza de gasterópodos y mayor importancia para la conservación que otros sitios. Cada uno también caracterizó a los ensambles asociados con variaciones significativas entre localidades en la diversidad alfa o entre otros moluscos y macrofitas acuáticas en la diversidad beta. Debido a sus diferentes requerimientos de recursos, la conservación de las tres especies prioritarias se amplió la extensión de todos los tipos de humedal bajo manejo para la conservación de la naturaleza en 18% y el nicho-espacio de los gasterópodos asociados se amplió alrededor de 33%. Aunque las especies no prioritarias indicaron variaciones en riqueza, composición e importancia de conservación entre otros organismos tan efectivamente como las especies prioritarias, ninguna caracterizó un rango tan amplio de humedales de alta calidad. Concluimos que los invertebrados prioritarios no son más efectivos que las especies no prioritarias como indicadores de la diversidad alfa y beta ni de la importancia para la conservación entre organismos asociados. Sin embargo, la conservación de especies prioritarias puede ampliar el conjunto de ambientes diferentes que son protegidos por su biodiversidad especializada y calidad ambiental. Sugerimos que este es un papel clave para las especies prioritarias y, más generalmente, para los sustitutos de conservación, y, con base en nuestra evidencia, puede ser desarrollado mediante múltiples especies con requerimientos de hábitat contrastantes. [source]

    The Aquatic Conservation Strategy of the Northwest Forest Plan

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
    GORDON H. REEVES
    gestión de ecosistemas; gestión ribereña; modelos de soporte de decisiones; terrenos públicos Abstract:,Implemented in 1994, the Aquatic Conservation Strategy of the Northwest Forest Plan was designed to restore and maintain ecological processes for aquatic and riparian area conservation on federal lands in the western portion of the Pacific Northwest. We used decision support models to quantitatively evaluate changes in the condition of selected watersheds. In the approximately 10 years since strategy implementation, watershed condition scores changed modestly, but conditions improved in 64% of 250 sampled watersheds, declined in 28%, and remained relatively the same in 7%. Watersheds that had the largest declines included some where wildfires burned 30,60% of their area. The overall statistical distribution of the condition scores did not change significantly, however. Much of the increase in watershed condition was related to improved riparian conditions. The number of large trees (>51 cm diameter at breast height) increased 2,4%, and there were substantial reductions in tree harvest and other disturbances along streams. Whether such changes will translate into longer-term improvements in aquatic ecosystems across broader landscapes remains to be seen. Resumen:,Implementada en 1994, la Estrategia de Conservación Acuática del Plan Forestal del Noroeste fue diseñada para restaurar y mantener procesos ecológicos para la conservación de áreas acuáticas y ribereñas en terrenos federales en la porción occidental del Pacífico Noroeste (E.U.A.). Utilizamos modelos de soporte de decisiones para evaluar cuantitativamente los cambios en la condición de cuencas seleccionadas. En los casi 10 años desde la implementación de la estrategia, los valores de la condición de las cuencas cambiaron someramente, pero las condiciones mejoraron en 64% de las 250 cuencas muestreadas, declinaron en 28% y permanecieron relativamente iguales en 7%. Las cuencas con las mayores declinaciones incluyeron algunas en las que 30-60% de su superficie fue quemada por fuegos sin control. Sin embargo, la distribución espacial total de los valores no cambió significativamente. Buena parte del incremento en las condiciones de la cuenca se relacionó con el mejoramiento de las condiciones ribereñas. El número de árboles grandes (>51 cm diámetro a la altura del pecho) aumentó 2-4%, y hubo reducciones sustanciales en la cosecha de árboles y otras perturbaciones a lo largo de arroyos. Aun habrá que ver si tales cambios se traducirán en mejoramientos a largo plazo en los ecosistemas acuáticos en paisajes más extensos. [source]

    The Northwest Forest Plan as a Model for Broad-Scale Ecosystem Management: a Social Perspective

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
    SUSAN CHARNLEY
    conservación y desarrollo; comunidades rurales; gestión forestal; monitoreo socioeconómico Abstract:,I evaluated the Northwest Forest Plan as a model for ecosystem management to achieve social and economic goals in communities located around federal forests in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. My assessment is based on the results of socioeconomic monitoring conducted to evaluate progress in achieving the plan's goals during its first 10 years. The assessment criteria I used related to economic development and social justice. The Northwest Forest Plan incorporated economic development and social justice goals in its design. Socioeconomic monitoring results indicate that plan implementation to achieve those goals met with mixed success, however. I hypothesize there are two important reasons the plan's socioeconomic goals were not fully met: some of the key assumptions underlying the implementation strategies were flawed and agency institutional capacity to achieve the goals was limited. To improve broad-scale ecosystem management in the future, decision makers should ensure that natural-resource management policies are socially acceptable; land-management agencies have the institutional capacity to achieve their management goals; and social and economic management goals (and the strategies for implementing them) are based on accurate assumptions about the relations between the resources being managed and well-being in local communities. One of the difficulties of incorporating economic development and social justice goals in conservation initiatives is finding ways to link conservation behavior and development activities. From a social perspective, the Northwest Forest Plan as a model for ecosystem management is perhaps most valuable in its attempt to link the biophysical and socioeconomic goals of forest management by creating high-quality jobs for residents of forest communities in forest stewardship and ecosystem management work, thereby contributing to conservation. Resumen:,Evalué el Plan Forestal del Noroeste como un modelo para la gestión de ecosistemas para alcanzar metas sociales y económicas en comunidades localizadas alrededor de bosques federales en el Pacífico Noroeste de E.U.A. Mi evaluación se basa en los resultados del monitoreo socioeconómico desarrollado para evaluar el progreso en el logro de las metas del plan durantes sus 10 primeros años. Los criterios de evaluación que utilicé se relacionan con el desarrollo económico y la justicia social. El diseño del Plan Forestal del Noroeste incorporó metas de desarrollo económico y de justicia social. Sin embargo, los resultados del monitoreo socioeconómico indican que éxito en la implementación del plan para alcanzar esas metas fue combinado. Postulé la hipótesis de que hay dos razones importantes por las que las metas socioeconómicas del plan no se cumplieron totalmente: algunas de las suposiciones clave en las estrategias de implementación fueron deficientes y la capacidad institucional de la agencia para alcanzar las metas era limitada. Para mejorar la gestión de ecosistemas a gran escala en el futuro, los tomadores de decisiones deberán asegurarse que las políticas de gestión de recursos naturales sean aceptables socialmente; que las agencias de gestión de tierras tengan la capacidad institucional para cumplir sus metas de gestión; y que las metas de gestión sociales y económicas (y las estrategias para su implementación) se basen en suposiciones precisas de las relaciones entre los recursos a gestionar y el bienestar de las comunidades locales. La manera de vincular comportamiento de conservación y actividades de desarrollo es una de las dificultades para la incorporación de metas de desarrollo económico y de justicia social en las iniciativas de conservación. Desde una perspectiva social, el Plan Forestal del Noroeste como modelo para la gestión de ecosistemas quizás es más valioso por su intento de vincular las metas biofísicas y socioeconómicas de la gestión forestal mediante la creación de empleos de alta calidad para residentes de las comunidades en labores de regulación y supervisión forestal y de gestión de ecosistemas, por lo tanto contribuye a la conservación. [source]

    The Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology A global community of conservation professionals

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
    Article first published online: 27 MAR 200
    Cover: Old-growth forest of the Hoh River Valley, Olympic National Park, Washington (U.S.A.). For decades the U.S. Pacific Norwest has been a center of controversy over logging and endangered species. This special section explores progress made by the Northwest Forest Plan,a global example of land-use planning,a decade after it was established to end the stalemate over logging and endangered species. Authors include some of the key architects involved in its creation and implementation. Photo by Kevin Schafer. See pages 274,374. [source]

    ,Benchmarking' and Participatory Development: The Case of Fiji's Sugar Industry Reforms

    DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2001
    Darryn Snell
    Since the mid-1970s, opposition has grown within developing countries to the use of ,top-down' development approaches by foreign consultants. Disenchantment with these development strategies, it is often claimed, has led to the current incorporation of participation in consultants' development practices. This study is concerned with the practice and methods of participatory development planning. It evaluates the Strategic Plan adopted by the Fiji sugar industry in 1997 in response to challenges that are attributed to the pressures of globalization and international competitiveness. The authors assess the external consultant's self-proclaimed ,participatory methods' in the articulation of these challenges, in the design of restructuring programmes, and in shaping the discourses of reform more generally. The consultant's use of the fashionable ,benchmarking' methodology is seen to be one of the most problematic features of the ,participatory' process. [source]

    Using Farmers' Preferences to Assess Development Policy: A Case Study of Uganda

    DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 3 2010
    Philip A. S. James
    As part of ongoing economic reforms, the Ugandan government implemented the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture (PMA) targeted at reducing rural poverty. This article demonstrates the application of a stated preference method using a choice experiment conducted in 9 sub-counties to assess farmers' preferences for adaptation options and identify areas of the PMA requiring reform to improve its effectiveness. This research shows the importance of microfinance, agricultural extension systems and basic education in farmers' adaptation decisions, and highlights a crucial need to improve local engagement in decision-making. A potentially problematic contradiction between farmers' preferences and some interventions proposed under the PMA is identified. [source]

    The Poverty Reduction Strategy Approach Six Years On: An Examination of Principles and Practice in Uganda

    DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 6 2006
    Sudharshan Canagarajah
    It is over six years since the World Bank and the IMF started promoting a PRS approach to development management in low-income countries. The 2005 review endorsed the approach, but highlighted the need for a renewed focus on the principles underpinning it: country ownership; results orientation; comprehensiveness; partnership focus; and long-term outlook. Uganda is often hailed as one of the best PRS performers. This article finds that Uganda's Poverty Eradicaton Action Plan (PEAP) has brought significant gains to development management, but that its performance against several of the PRS principles is disappointing. A return to these principles could improve the practice of the government and development partners around the PEAP , a finding likely to be applicable to many countries implementing a PRS. [source]

    From Disaster to Sustainable Civil Society: The Kobe Experience

    DISASTERS, Issue 1 2004
    Rajib Shaw
    Nine years after the Kobe earthquake in Japan, social issues are still prominent, and the rehabilitation process is still ongoing. The earthquake caused two major changes in Japanese society: an increase in voluntary and non-government activities, and the enhancement of cooperation between local government and the residents' association. People's participation in the decision-making process was a significant achievement. To sustain the efforts generated after the earthquake, the Kobe Action Plan was formulated and tested in different disaster scenarios. The current study suggests that civil societies in urban areas are sustainable if, first, the activities related to daily services are provided by the resident's associations; and second, these are linked to economic incentives. Leadership plays a crucial role in collective decision-making. Creation of the support system is essential for long-term sustainability of civil-society activities. These observations are exemplified in the case study in Nishi Suma, one of the worst-affected areas in the Kobe city. [source]

    Subpopulations of Cryptocephalus beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): geographically close but genetically far

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2003
    R. W. Piper
    Abstract. The leaf beetles Cryptocephalus coryli, C. decemmaculatus and C. nitidulus are of conservation concern and are included on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The distinctiveness of the disjunct remaining populations of these beetles was compared to that of more continuously distributed Cryptocephalus species. This was carried out with a view to defining evolutionary significant units (ESUs) in the rare species. A portion of the cytochrome b gene, an intergenic spacer and partial tRNA was analysed from 93 specimens of Cryptocephalus beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Considerable sequence divergence was apparent in all the species, even at an intersite scale when the distances between sampled localities were very small (< 1 km). Intrapopulation, intersite and interpopulation divergence observed in the rare species was reflected in the species that have a more continuous distribution, implying that dispersal ability in these species is poor and gene flow can be impeded by relatively trivial barriers to dispersal. The evidence suggests that the disjunct populations of the rare Cryptocephalus species can, tentatively, be considered as ESUs. This has important implications for management strategies and reintroductions. [source]

    The elusive NHS consumer: 1948 to the NHS Plan

    ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 4 2001
    Will Anderson
    Since the creation of the National Health Service in 1948, patients have never been fully-fledged consumers of healthcare; they have never held personal economic power with which to express their needs and preferences to service providers. Nonetheless, the history of the NHS has demonstrated an ever-increasing policy interest in the needs of individual patients and in the responsiveness of services to these needs. Following the collapse of the postwar consensus which gave birth to the welfare state, successive governments have pledged to give priority to consumer needs, but have struggled to realise this priority in practice.Professional and state paternalism in defining patient needs and choices have endured. current policy emphasis on ,patient and public involvement' and ,partnership working' sustains a top-down bureaucratic approach but tempers practice with input from all stakeholders in local health economies. There is much to do to make the culture of the NHS genuinely responsive to consumer needs. [source]

    THE HOWARD-TURNBULL NATIONAL PLAN FOR WATER SECURITY OF JANUARY 2007: RESCUE OR REJECTION?

    ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2008
    ALISTAIR WATSON
    A ten-point, ten-year, ten billion dollar National Plan for Water Security was announced by the (then) Howard Government in January 2007. The Plan was supported by State governments, with the exception of Victoria. The (then) Opposition supported legislation in August 2007 to implement the Plan. The main part of the Plan was investment in off-farm and on-farm irrigation infrastructure, ostensibly to promote water use efficiency. A smaller programme was proposed for buyback of irrigation water for environmental purposes. Various economic criteria would favour the opposite emphasis. Investment by governments in private irrigation infrastructure goes against the spirit of other recent policy changes and, for economic and technical reasons, is unlikely to achieve its objectives. Buyback for environmental purposes should continue, subject to appropriate procedures and discipline in the selection of environmental projects. Recent developments highlight continuing controversies over policy and administration of the Murray-Darling Basin. [source]

    Nature conservation and urban development control in the Portuguese planning system: a new impetus against old praxis?

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2008
    Teresa Fidelis
    Abstract Natura 2000 areas bring a new incentive to assess the performance of land-use planning in protecting environmental values from the impacts of development pressures. In the last decades, urban growth and consequent environmental impacts on natural areas have been a major concern for the Portuguese land-use planning system. Sprawl around sensitive areas has been revealed to be a persistent phenomenon in spite of the increasing challenges underlying land-use plans. This article critically analyses the content of three main documents recently adopted by the Portuguese government , the ,National Strategy for Sustainable Development', the ,National Policy Programme for Spatial Planning' and the ,Sector Plan for Natura 2000' , seeking prospects to innovate future plans at lower levels in order to prevent additional pressures on natural areas. First, the article reviews the recent theoretical debate on planning for the protection of natural areas. Results evidenced by recent EU evaluation reports are used to propose a set of guidelines to evaluate planning guidance at national level. Second, it critically analyses the three planning documents, bearing in mind the main features of the planning system and the proposed guidelines. The article is concluded with a discussion of their potential, exploring whether they bring a new impetus to the role of land-use planning against an outdated and persistent praxis, or whether, on the contrary, further efforts to strengthen planning guidance remain to be formulated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

    The Slovak national SD strategy process: a mix of achievements and shortcomings

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 6 2007
    Michal Sedla
    Abstract National strategies for sustainable development are gaining increasing recognition as an instrument to reconcile needs of development and environmental protection by improving policy-making procedures. The paper assesses the Slovak sustainable development strategy in the context of two key documents, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic (MESR, 2001a) and the Action Plan for Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic for 2005,2010 (OGSR, 2005). Focus is mainly placed on horizontal policy integration, but institutional arrangements and mechanisms for implementation, monitoring and review, stakeholder participation and vertical integration are also assessed. Based on the results of a series of interviews with ministerial planners and utilizing the example of the Working Group for Environmental Education, the paper identifies barriers to horizontal policy integration. The main conclusion is that improvement of mechanisms for horizontal policy integration is offset by recession in other areas, including public participation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

    Policy interventions to reduce the harm from smoking

    ADDICTION, Issue 1s1 2000
    Peter Anderson
    The other papers in this series on reduced smoking discuss interventions focused on individuals. This paper illustrates possible smoking reduction interventions focused on policies rather than individuals. Target 12 of the new WHO Health For All Policy aims to significantly reduce the harm from addictive substances, including tobacco, in all member states by 2015, and the WHO Third Action Plan for Tobacco-Free Europe focuses on reducing the harm from tobacco. These documents recommend five key policy strategies: market regulation, product liability, smoke-free environments, support for smoking cessation and education, public information and public opinion. Interventions such as price increases, restricting availability, advertising bans and product control could all be used to achieve harm reduction. Research on reducing the harm of smoking needs to include policy as well as treatment research. [source]

    The Politics of a European Civil Code

    EUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004
    Martijn W. Hesselink
    That plan forms an important step towards a European Civil Code. In its Plan, the Commission tries to depoliticise the codification process by asking a group of academic experts to prepare what it calls a ,common frame of reference'. This paper argues that drafting a European Civil Code involves making many choices that are essentially political. It further argues that the technocratic approach which the Commission has adopted in the Action Plan effectively excludes most stakeholders from having their say during the stage when the real choices are made. Therefore, before the drafting of the CFR/ECC starts, the Commission should submit a list of policy questions regarding the main issues of European private law to the European Parliament and the other stakeholders. Such an alternative procedure would repoliticise the process. It would increase the democratic basis for a European Civil Code and thus its legitimacy. [source]

    NATIONAL LANGUAGE POLICY SUMMIT: An Americun Plan for Action

    FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 4 2004
    Article first published online: 31 DEC 200
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]

    Can a publicly funded home care system successfully allocate service based on perceived need rather than socioeconomic status?

    HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 2 2007
    A Canadian experience
    Abstract The present quantitative study evaluates the degree to which socioeconomic status (SES), as opposed to perceived need, determines utilisation of publicly funded home care in Ontario, Canada. The Registered Persons Data Base of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan was used to identify the age, sex and place of residence for all Ontarians who had coverage for the complete calendar year 1998. Utilisation was characterised in two dimensions: (1) propensity , the probability that an individual received service, which was estimated using a multinomial logit equation; and (2) intensity , the amount of service received, conditional on receipt. Short- and long-term service intensity were modelled separately using ordinary least squares regression. Age, sex and co-morbidity were the best predictors (P < 0.0001) of whether or not an individual received publicly funded home care as well as how much care was received, with sicker individuals having increased utilisation. The propensity and intensity of service receipt increased with lower SES (P < 0.0001), and decreased with the proportion of recent immigrants in the region (P < 0.0001), after controlling for age, sex and co-morbidity. Although the allocation of publicly funded home care service was primarily based on perceived need rather than ability to pay, barriers to utilisation for those from areas with a high proportion of recent immigrants were identified. Future research is needed to assess whether the current mix and level of publicly funded resources are indeed sufficient to offset the added costs associated with the provision of high-quality home care. [source]

    Launch of the HILJ Strategic Plan 2010,2014

    HEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010
    Maria J. Grant
    The 2010-2014 strategic plan builds on the reputation of Health Information and Libraries Journal (HILJ) as a dynamic internationally inclusive journal and will ensure that the journal remains relevant to the day-to-day practices of its readership. The plan seeks to maintain the high quality of the journal, build on the already strong relationship with the Health Libraries Group (HLG), and find new ways to engage with the HILJ readers and writers. [source]

    Risk Segmentation Related to the Offering of a Consumer-Directed Health Plan: A Case Study of Humana Inc.

    HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4p2 2004
    Laura A. Tollen
    Objective. To determine whether the offering of a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) is likely to cause risk segmentation in an employer group. Study Setting and Data Source. The study population comprises the approximately 10,000 people (employees and dependents) enrolled as members of the employee health benefit program of Humana Inc. at its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, during the benefit years starting July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2001. This analysis is based on primary collection of claims, enrollment, and employment data for those employees and dependents. Study Design. This is a case study of the experience of a single employer in offering two consumer-directed health plan options ("Coverage First 1" and "Coverage First 2") to its employees. We assessed the risk profile of those choosing the Coverage First plans and those remaining in more traditional health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO) coverage. Risk was measured using prior claims (in dollars per member per month), prior utilization (admissions/1,000; average length of stay; prescriptions/1,000; physician office visit services/1,000), a pharmacy-based risk assessment tool (developed by Ingenix), and demographics. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. Complete claims and administrative data were provided by Humana Inc. for the two-year study period. Unique identifiers enabled us to track subscribers' individual enrollment and utilization over this period. Principal Findings. Based on demographic data alone, there did not appear to be a difference in the risk profiles of those choosing versus not choosing Coverage First. However, based on prior claims and prior use data, it appeared that those who chose Coverage First were healthier than those electing to remain in more traditional coverage. For each of five services, prior-year usage by people who subsequently enrolled in Coverage First 1 (CF1) was below 60 percent of the average for the whole group. Hospital and maternity admissions per thousand were less than 30 percent of the overall average; length of stay per hospital admission, physician office services per thousand, and prescriptions per thousand were all between 50 and 60 percent of the overall average. Coverage First 2 (CF2) subscribers' prior use of services was somewhat higher than CF1 subscribers', but it was still below average in every category. As with prior use, prior claims data indicated that Coverage First subscribers were healthier than average, with prior total claims less than 50 percent of average. Conclusions. In this case, the offering of high-deductible or consumer-directed health plan options alongside more traditional options caused risk segmentation within an employer group. The extent to which these findings are applicable to other cases will depend on many factors, including the employer premium contribution policies and employees' perception of the value of the various plan options. Further research is needed to determine whether risk segmentation will worsen in future years for this employer and if so, whether it will cause premiums for more traditional health plans to increase. [source]

    Evaluation of the Effect of a Consumer-Driven Health Plan on Medical Care Expenditures and Utilization

    HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4p2 2004
    Stephen T. Parente§
    Objective. To compare medical care costs and utilization in a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) to other health insurance plans. Study Design. We examine claims and employee demographic data from one large employer that adopted a CDHP in 2001. A quasi-experimental pre,post design is used to assign employees to three cohorts: (1) enrolled in a health maintenance organization (HMO) from 2000 to 2002, (2) enrolled in a preferred provider organization (PPO) from 2000 to 2002, or (3) enrolled in a CDHP in 2001 and 2002, after previously enrolling in either an HMO or PPO in 2000. Using this approach we estimate a difference-in-difference regression model for expenditure and utilization measures to identify the impact of CDHP. Principal Findings. By 2002, the CDHP cohort experienced lower total expenditures than the PPO cohort but higher expenditures than the HMO cohort. Physician visits and pharmaceutical use and costs were lower in the CDHP cohort compared to the other groups. Hospital costs and admission rates for CDHP enrollees, as well as total physician expenditures, were significantly higher than for enrollees in the HMO and PPO plans. Conclusions. An early evaluation of CDHP expenditures and utilization reveals that the new health plan is a viable alternative to existing health plan designs. Enrollees in the CDHP have lower total expenditures than PPO enrollees, but higher utilization of resource-intensive hospital admissions after an initially favorable selection. [source]

    Accelerating Malnutrition Reduction in Orissa

    IDS BULLETIN, Issue 4 2009
    Mona Sharma
    Orissa has performed better than the Indian average in terms of the rate of malnutrition reduction. This positive trend is supported by NFHS data, independent survey data and the State's own monitoring data. Despite this good news, absolute rates remain high with 40 per cent of children under five malnourished, rising to 54 per cent amongst the tribal population. Encouraging progress but recognition of a long way to go has triggered the Department of Women and Child Development to develop a new operational plan to accelerate the pace of malnutrition reduction. The Nutrition Plan is based on five principles, the key being targeting the most vulnerable in high burden districts. Review of national and international experience, analysis of the Department's data, plus primary data collection to fill information gaps, have created an evidence-based Plan which provides a challenging but realistic map for reaching an average annual malnutrition reduction of 3.5 percent. [source]

    What Do Employees Know About Their Pension Plan?

    INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 4 2000
    Andrew A. Luchak
    Original survey data based on 529 respondents in a large organization are used to analyze how much employees know about various features of their occupational pension plan. While the level of understanding was quite low among all employees, it was quite high among those for whom the knowledge matters most in terms of their behavioral decision making. Our results show that rather than being optimal labor contracts that workers enter into with full knowledge at the time of employment, pension contracts are more like contingent claims contracts evolving under conditions of uncertainty and incomplete information. [source]

    Surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in the USA

    INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2009
    Thomas J. DELIBERTO
    Abstract As part of the USA's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, an Interagency Strategic Plan for the Early Detection of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds was developed and implemented. From 1 April 2006 through 31 March 2009, 261 946 samples from wild birds and 101 457 wild bird fecal samples were collected in the USA; no highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected. The United States Department of Agriculture, and state and tribal cooperators accounted for 213 115 (81%) of the wild bird samples collected; 31, 27, 21 and 21% of the samples were collected from the Atlantic, Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways, respectively. More than 250 species of wild birds in all 50 states were sampled. The majority of wild birds (86%) were dabbling ducks, geese, swans and shorebirds. The apparent prevalence of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses during biological years 2007 and 2008 was 9.7 and 11.0%, respectively. The apparent prevalence of H5 and H7 subtypes across all species sampled were 0.5 and 0.06%, respectively. The pooled fecal samples (n= 101 539) positive for low pathogenic avian influenza were 4.0, 6.7 and 4.7% for biological years 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. The highly pathogenic early detection system for wild birds developed and implemented in the USA represents the largest coordinated wildlife disease surveillance system ever conducted. This effort provided evidence that wild birds in the USA were free of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (given the expected minimum prevalence of 0.001%) at the 99.9% confidence level during the surveillance period. [source]