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Different Actors (different + actor)
Selected AbstractsRegional sustainable development in France: assessing the environmental implicationsENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2005F. Bertrand Abstract This article considers the environmental dimension of regional sustainable development in France. The first part evaluates the position of the environment in regional sustainable development policies using two levels of analysis. First, it examines the stated objectives for regional sustainable development that relate to a balanced integration of the environmental dimension in relation to the economic and social dimensions. Second, it demonstrates how efforts to implement regional sustainable development (RSD) invariably lead to domination by environmental factors, as a consequence of well established environmental policies. Thereafter, a critical analysis of this outcome is presented, illustrating how the disparity between what is said and done has produced an ambiguous notion of sustainable development (SD), and how different actors have adopted strongly opposing views. This confusion has created resistance by environmental actors, who perceive sustainable development as potentially diluting environmental demands. The article concludes by discussing the possible future role of the environment within regional sustainable development. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] INTERACTIONS AND INTERROGATIONS: NEGOTIATING AND PERFORMING VALUE FOR MONEY REPORTSFINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Nina Sharma This paper explores the interactions, mediations and interrogations at play by the different actors involved in the final stages of the Value for Money reporting process. The VFM auditing arena is a complex setting with groups of actors carrying out various and at times, conflicting roles. Drawing on the dramaturgical writings of Goffman, the paper examines the ways in which these actors create and manage impressions of themselves. Differences in style, tone and rhetoric are analysed to understand the way in which key parties perform to their audiences. The paper shows how the cautionary style of VFM reports is mediated with the auditees and then elaborated and improvised by the Public Accounts Committee to construct drama into the final accountability process. It is argued that through the process of writing and presenting VFM reports, auditors, MPs and auditees perform roles to manage their identities and address expectations of their audiences. [source] Gatekeepers in sickness insurance: a systematic review of the literature on practices of social insurance officersHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 3 2005Elsy Söderberg Abstract Decisions concerning entitlement to sickness benefits have a substantial impact on the lives of individuals and on society. In most countries, such decisions are made by staff of private or public insurance organisations. The work performed by these professionals is debated, hence more knowledge is needed on this subject. The aim of the present study was to review scientific studies of the practices of social insurance officers (SIOs) published in English, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. Studies were searched for in literature databases, in reference lists, and through personal contacts. Analyses were made of type of study, areas investigated, research questions, theories used, and the results. Sixteen studies were included. SIOs and several other actors are responsible for applying measures to minimise sick-leave and promote return to work (RTW). The studies focusing on coordination of such measures revealed that SIOs felt unsure about how to handle their contacts with clients and other actors. One study indicated that the SIOs, partly due to lack of time, accepted the recommendations of physicians instead of making their own judgments about granting sickness benefits. While all SIOs must make decisions concerning entitlement to sickness benefits on a daily basis, few of the reviewed studies scrutinised the actual granting of sickness compensation. The studies were also deficient in that they investigated the decision latitude of the SIOs from a very limited perspective, mainly on an individual level and often primarily in relation to colleagues and/or clients rather than to the laws and regulations of the sickness insurance. The concepts and framework in this area of research need to be developed to facilitate elucidation of the interaction between different actors in local spheres, professionals in different disciplines, and between welfare staff and individual citizens. [source] Simulating Globalization: Oil in ChadINTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 3 2004Heidi H. Hobbs The conflicting interests that underlie globalization can be difficult to grasp in a traditional classroom setting. The simulation presented here challenges students to examine the many different actors operating in the international system today. The focus is the Chad,Cameroon oil pipeline,a landmark example of cooperation and conflict between international institutions, non-governmental organizations and business interests. Given a scenario, students assume these roles and negotiate for the continued success of the pipeline. All the materials to run this exercise are included and if utilized, can provide a positive active learning experience. [source] Neoliberal Wave Rocks Chilika Lake, India: Conflict over Intensive Aquaculture from a Class PerspectiveJOURNAL OF AGRARIAN CHANGE, Issue 4 2009MATILDE ADDUCI Since the beginning of the 1990s, Chilika Lake, situated on the coast of the Indian state of Orissa, has been the scene of a conflict over intensive aquaculture practices, culminating in a process of de facto privatization of the lake. This conflict can be divided into two distinct phases that have seen the involvement from village to state level of different actors: in particular the traditional fishing people and the dominant classes in Orissa. This article analyzes the socio-economic dynamics governing the conflict. The specific aim is to investigate the dynamics of class reproduction, new forms of class oppression and the emergence of new forms of class consciousness related to the transformations caused by the new aquaculture practices. The role of class in India today is discussed and related to a fieldwork-based analysis of the two phases of this movement against intensive aquaculture. [source] Societal Safety: Concept, Borders and DilemmasJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Odd Einar Olsen In most industrialized countries, the end of the Cold War marked a change in focus from preparedness for war to an increasing focus on civil society's own vulnerability and safety. To meet new threats and changing risks, there is also a need for new analytical concepts. Societal safety is a concept developed in Norway during the last decade. It could be defined as: ,The society's ability to maintain critical social functions, to protect the life and health of the citizens and to meet the citizens' basic requirements in a variety of stress situations'. It aims to be a systematic approach for understanding, mitigating and responding to social problems such as extraordinary stresses and losses, interferences in complex and mutual dependent systems, or lack of trust in vital social institutions. Future threats to society are not limited to specific sectors or areas, but stem from complex interactions amongst economic, technological, social and cultural factors. Thus, the main challenges to improve societal safety will be the ability to coordinate, organize and assign clear roles to different actors at the international, national and local levels. Societal safety has interfaces with other safety-related areas such as national security, sustainable development, human security and incident management (handling of isolated accidents, common illness and ordinary criminal acts). Societal safety is, however, a sensitive political issue containing dilemmas and value choices that are hardly possible to perceive or solve as pure scientific problems. [source] Stakeholders Influence and Internal Championing of Product Stewardship in the Italian Food Packaging IndustryJOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Marcello Braglia Summary Environmental management is becoming a top issue on managers' agendas in several industries. The adoption and implementation of a sound "green" strategy involves following product stewardship practices. Product stewardship is the idea that manufacturers, rather than consumers, governments, or waste companies, ought to take responsibility for the recycling and disposal of their products at the end of their life cycle. This article is aimed at investigating the relationships between the adoption of product stewardship practices and the involvement of different actors in the decision-making process. By means of discriminant analysis, 120 firms have been classified into two different environmental profiles. Results indicate that firms that are more committed to product stewardship differ from less-committed firms in the influence exerted by different stakeholders and in the supportive role played by the management at different hierarchical and functional levels. In general, it appears that top management involvement in the decision-making process is a critical condition for the successful championship of product stewardship. In addition, the effective implementation of product stewardship along the product life-cycle stages is correlated to a strong commitment on the part of chief technical officers and development engineers rather than of manufacturing or marketing managers. [source] Integration of theory and practice in learning mental health nursingJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2002T. MUNNUKKA RN PhD(Nursing science) PhD(Education) This article describes an action research project that aimed at a better integration of theory and practice in the education of mental health nursing students. Two partners, an institute of nursing and health care and a university hospital, collaborated to develop a new educational programme for mental health nursing. The blocks of theoretical studies were implemented simultaneously with practical training, and the theory content was taught by nursing teachers as well as by nurse practitioners who worked on the teaching wards. In addition, the students had their own personal nurse-preceptors on the wards. The nurse managers were responsible for the educational level of the teaching wards and the director of nursing planned the teaching arrangements together with the nursing teachers. In all, the project involved over 50 different actors and several researchers. The results are encouraging: all the participants , students, preceptors, nurse managers and nursing teachers , found the project rewarding and they want to continue to develop and improve the level of teaching and learning in mental health nursing education. All the participants grew and developed professionally during the project. [source] An Empirical Investigation of Knowledge-Sharing in NetworksJOURNAL OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2005Stephan M. Wagner Summary Given the growing importance of knowledge-sharing, the primary purpose of this research is to develop and test a series of hypotheses regarding interorganizational knowledge-sharing with different actors in networks. Findings, based on responses from 182 firms, reveal that a firm's degree of knowledge-sharing with research institutions and customers is positively influenced by the firm's resource commitment. As expected, the firms' satisfaction is positively related to the frequency of communication. Consistent with the proposed hypotheses, knowledge tacitness diminishes the effect sharing knowledge with suppliers has on satisfaction. Contrary to expectations, tacitness positively moderates the effect sharing knowledge with customers has on satisfaction. Overall, this paper establishes the foundation for a more fine-grained analysis of knowledge-sharing with customers, suppliers and research institutions in a network setting. [source] Toward the Development of a Supply Chain Management Paradigm: A Conceptual FrameworkJOURNAL OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2004Mihalis Giannakis SUMMARY This article provides a structured analysis for conceptual and theoretical developments in the field of supply chain management. The article proposes a conceptualization of the supply chain problem domain called the "3S Model." The model highlights three dimensions of interest to supply chain scholars and practitioners alike: the synthesis of the business and resources network; the characteristics of synergy between different actors in the network; and the synchronization of all operational decisions related to the control of the production and delivery of goods and services. [source] Counting on codes: An examination of transnational codes as a regulatory governance mechanism for nanotechnologiesREGULATION & GOVERNANCE, Issue 2 2009Diana M. Bowman Abstract This article examines the rise of nanotechnology-specific codes of conduct (nano-codes) as a private governance mechanism to manage potential risks and promote the technology. It examines their effectiveness as well as their legitimacy as regulatory instruments in the public domain. The study first maps the rise of voluntary nano-codes and the roles played by different actors. Focusing on five specific nano-codes, the article then discusses their adequacy in terms of scientific uncertainty, gaps in existing regulatory regimes, and broader societal concerns. It concludes that these voluntary nano-codes have weaknesses including a lack of explicit standards on which to base independent monitoring, as well as no sanctions for poor compliance. At the same time it also highlights the potential power of these governance mechanisms under conditions of uncertainty and co-regulation with government. It is likely that nano-codes will become the "first cut" of a new governance regime for nanotechnologies. [source] Containment and counter-containment: planner/community relations in conservation planningTHE GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2001Roger Few Critical analyses of public involvement in conservation projects in developing countries commonly point toward imbalances of power between project agencies and communities and the persistence of top-down patterns of decision-making. Taking an actor-oriented research approach, this paper probes beneath the surface patterns to analyse the complex socio-political mechanisms at work in the negotiating arena represented by public participation in project planning. The discussion is based on a case study of community involvement in the planning of protected areas in Belize. Detailed analysis of the power relations and tactical interactions between different actors in the negotiating arenas revealed that planner/community relations in the case study were dominated by a process identified as ,containment'. Containment refers to a strategic management of public involvement by the planning agencies, and it hinged on three fundamental social actions: avoidance of conflict; exclusion of dissent; and control over knowledge and procedure. Actions by local stakeholders that served to undermine containment constitute ,counter-containment'. The paper discusses these mechanisms in depth, before developing a comparative analytical framework of containment and counter-containment to help explain disparities in planning progress between different sites. [source] The Theses on Feuerbach as a political ecology of the possibleAREA, Issue 2 2009Alex Loftus This paper argues that Marx's Theses on Feuerbach offer a tremendous and yet neglected resource for work in political ecology and the production of nature. Whilst not calling for a dramatic shift in the way in which such work is conducted, the paper shows how the Theses offer a firm and concise foundation on which to base the ontological and epistemological claims of work on the politicised environment. Ontologically, nature is a differentiated unity, best understood as sensuous activity or practice. This fits well with Smith's claims that nature is produced, whilst not limiting production to capitalist activity. Environments are thereby made up of everyday activity. Subverting the apparent anthropocentrism of this claim, the paper shows how (as Gramsci recognised) the Theses on Feuerbach have an incipient sense of the socio-natural. Post-humanist critiques of Smith's (humanist) production of nature thesis are thereby disrupted. Production realises a differentiated unity of socio-natural relations. Epistemologically, the paper demonstrates how the Theses push political ecologists to construct knowledge claims from practical activity. An ecological politics thereby emerges from the situated knowledges of different actors. Building on this, the paper argues that Marx's ,notes to himself' give us a sense of possible worlds and possible ecologies beyond the topsy-turvy one we have made in the present. Through the concept of praxis evinced in the Theses, a vision of the engaged scholar activist, committed to learning about the world through changing it (and vice-versa), emerges. [source] How Issues Become (Re)constructed in the Media: Discursive Practices in the AstraZeneca MergerBRITISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2002B. Hellgren In this article, we put forward a novel way of exploring difference and contradiction in merging organizations. We examine how the media (re)constructs meanings in a major cross-border merger. Based on an analysis of press coverage, we attempt to specify and illustrate how particular issues are (re)constructed in media texts through interpretations of ,winning' and ,losing'. We also show how specific discourses are drawn on in this (re)construction. In the merger studied, discourse based on economic and financial rationale dominated the media coverage. Discourse promoting nationalistic sentiments, however, provided an alternative discursive frame to the dominant rationalistic discourse. We argue that the two basic discourses are enacted in three analytically distinct discursive practices in the media: factualizing, rationalizing and emotionalizing. We suggest that the ability of different actors such as top managers to make use of different discursive strategies and resources in promoting their ,versions of reality' in the media (or public discussion) is a crucial avenue for research in this area. [source] Whistleblowing and media logic: a case studyBUSINESS ETHICS: A EUROPEAN REVIEW, Issue 2 2003Robert van Es Most analyses of whistleblowing are concerned with the whistleblower as an actor or with the act of whistleblowing itself. However, as soon as the whistleblower enters the public arena, a social dynamic emerges of interdependent actors with different responsibilities and different interests. Such a dynamic demands a more comprehensive approach in which the motives of the different actors in the public debate are taken into account. This approach is developed here using an exemplary case of whistleblowing that took place in a Dutch research institute. The intensive media attention damaged both the institute and the whistleblower. In retrospect this could have been avoided. In our analysis we give extra attention to the motives involved and to the inevitability of media logic. In order to avoid unnecessary damage we recommend guidelines to the three basic actors:the whistleblower, the organization and the media. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||