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Planning Process (planning + process)
Kinds of Planning Process Selected AbstractsA Strategic Planning Process for a Small Nonprofit Organization: A Hospice ExampleNONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 2 2000Cynthia Massie Mara Strategic planning is an essential part of management. However, planning processes can consume great amounts of time and resources that small, nonprofit organizations may lack. Moreover, the process that is used can be tedious and may result in plans that are discarded before or during their implementation. In this article, a strategic planning process is presented that incorporates a Policy Delphi group technique and Situation Structuring, a computer program that assists participants in structuring or defining the problems to be addressed in the plan. The organization to which the process is applied is a small, nonprofit hospice. Both the planning process and an evaluation of the implementation of the resultant strategic plan are examined. [source] Fighting over the Forests: Environmental Conflict and Decision-making Capacity in Forest Planning ProcessesGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2003Jean Hillier Abstract This paper tells a story of environmental conflict and the attempted political resolution of issues of planning for native forests in Western Australia. It refers to the Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement and Draft Forest Management Plan processes to demonstrate how a range of actors utilise vari-ous discourses and network relations in attempts to influence governmental decision-making capacity. Adapting elements of a model of capacity-building for environmental decision-making, the paper indicates how traditional exclusionary decision networks serve to inhibit decision capacity, whilst more inclusive processes may be more likely to cope with challenges of reconciling multiple values and decision-making for managing the forests in the interests of society as a whole. [source] Integrating Decentralized Strategy Making and Strategic Planning Processes in Dynamic EnvironmentsJOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 8 2004Torben Juul Andersen abstract Decentralized post-bureaucratic organizations are deemed to display superior performance in dynamic environments, but recent evidence indicates that centralized integrative cross-functional processes may be equally critical. Accordingly, this paper hypothesizes that organizational performance can be ascribed to the simultaneous emphasis on decentralized strategy making and strategic planning processes. This is investigated in a study of 185 manufacturing organizations operating in diverse industries spanning food processing and computer products. The study shows that both decentralized decision structure and planning activities are associated with higher performance in dynamic environments. These findings confirm that effective organizations engage in more complex strategy formation processes that complement the decentralized post-bureaucratic form with formal mechanisms of rational analyses and operational integration. The paper highlights a need to extend our understanding of the duality between decentralization and planning. [source] Tasmania's Tamar Valley Pulp Mill: A Comparison of Planning Processes Using a Good Environmental Governance FrameworkAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 3 2008Fred Gale In November 2004, the Tasmanian government requested the state's planning body, the Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC), to undertake an evaluation of a proposal to establish a pulp mill at Long Reach near Bell Bay on Tasmania's Tamar Estuary. In early 2007, Gunns Limited, the project's proponent, pulled out of the RPDC process and the government established an alternative, ,fast-track' process under the Pulp Mill Assessment Act (PMAA). This article evaluates the RPDC and the PMAA assessment processes using a ,good environmental governance' framework composed of eight criteria , transparency, accountability, openness, balance, deliberation, efficiency, science and risk. The comparison reveals that although the RPDC process fell short of the ideal, it was markedly superior to the PMAA process that replaced it. The case highlights how political economic power can be used to the detriment of public planning and the communities and environment that rely on it. [source] The essentials of Advance Care Planning for end-of-life care for older peopleJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 3-4 2010Sarah Yeun-Sim Jeong Aims and objectives., The aim of the study was to investigate the phenomenon of Advance Care Planning and the use of Advance Care Directives in residential aged care facilities in Australia. The objectives were to: ,,investigate the implementation process of Advance Care Planning and the use of Advance Care Directives; ,,investigate the outcomes of Advance Care Planning and experiences of people involved in Advance Care Planning and Advance Care Directives, including residents, families and nursing staff. Background., Benefits of Advance Care Planning for older residents are considerable given their degenerative health-breakdown and minimal chance of recovery. To date, the use of Advance Care Planning and Advance Care Directives is limited and models of service delivery and processes are needed to enhance best practice with Advance Care Planning and positive outcomes for older Australians. Design., Case study. Methods., The study conducted using multiple sources of evidence to enrich understanding of the phenomenon of Advance Care Planning. The researcher engaged in data collection over six months involving participant observation, field notes, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The findings contribute to the limited knowledge of options currently available to older adults and their families in their decision-making about end-of-life care options. Permission to conduct the study., Prior to commencement of the data collection, ethics clearances from the University of Newcastle and the regional Area Health Service were achieved. Permission to access the residential aged care facilities to undertake the study was obtained from the relevant residential aged care facility ethics committees or designated authorities. The researcher undertook several strategies to ensure all the ethical principles were considered and adhered to while conducting the project. Results., The research identified the components and factors involved in the Advance Care Planning process and in attaining desired outcomes. The conceptual framework developed elaborates how Advance Care Planning should be implemented and what may constitute successful implementation of Advance Care Planning in residential aged care facilities. The four main elements (input, throughput, output, feedback), and 20 sub-elements were requisites for nurses to initiate and implement the Advance Care Planning. Conclusion., The essential components for end-of-life care are identified in the implementation processes of Advance Care Planning in residential aged care facilities. The study contributes to greater awareness of the processes needed for ,dying well' and highlights the need to explore experiences of ,successful dying' and the way nurses contribute to these events. Relevance to clinical practice., The case study identified four determinative requisites for successful implementation of Advance Care Planning in aged care facilities: the expert nurse, discussion, education and involvement of a multidisciplinary team. Nurses should take these factors into account and use person-centred approach in formalised processes to encourage participation in plans for end-of-life care. [source] Consistency of a Shared Versioned Model for Distributed CooperationCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2005B. Firmenich As a rule the ultimate solution needs many iteration steps. Available CAD-systems support synchronous and distributed work on a document base. Therefore, cooperation between the engineers can be obtained only by the exchange of documents. It is generally known that an overall consistency of the planning material is not adequately addressed by this approach. In this article a solution approach focused upon consistency of the shared planning material in a distributed CAD environment is presented. Because of the nature of the planning process, version management is applied on an object basis. Project data are stored as object versions and relationships. The operations for the distributed cooperation are identified and their impact on the project data is described formally, using logical expressions and set theory. A formulation based upon an algebra of sets is presented. [source] Obstacles to Bottom-Up Implementation of Marine Ecosystem ManagementCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008KIRSTEN E. EVANS manejo de ecosistemas; manejo marino basado en ecosistemas; participación de partes interesadas; planificación de la conservación Abstract:,Ecosystem management (EM) offers a means to address multiple threats to marine resources. Despite recognition of the importance of stakeholder involvement, most efforts to implement EM in marine systems are the product of top-down regulatory control. We describe a rare, stakeholder-driven attempt to implement EM from the bottom up in San Juan County, Washington (U.S.A.). A citizens advisory group led a 2-year, highly participatory effort to develop an ecosystem-based management plan, guided by a preexisting conservation-planning framework. A key innovation was to incorporate social dimensions by designating both sociocultural and biodiversity targets in the planning process. Multiple obstacles hindered implementation of EM in this setting. Despite using a surrogate scheme, the information-related transaction costs of planning were substantial: information deficits prevented assessment of some biodiversity targets and insufficient resources combined with information deficits prevented scientific assessment of the sociocultural targets. Substantial uncertainty, practical constraints to stakeholder involvement, and the existence of multiple, potentially conflicting, objectives increased negotiation-related costs. Although information deficits and uncertainty, coupled with underinvestment in the transaction costs of planning, could reduce the long-term effectiveness of the plan itself, the social capital and momentum developed through the planning process could yield unforeseeable future gains in protection of marine resources. The obstacles we identified here will require early and sustained attention in efforts to implement ecosystem management in other grassroots settings. Resumen:,El manejo de ecosistemas es un medio para abordar múltiples amenazas a los recursos marinos. No obstante el reconocimiento de la importancia de la participación de las partes interesadas, la mayoría de los esfuerzos para implementar el manejo de ecosistemas en sistemas marinos son producto del control normativo de arriba hacia abajo. Describimos un intento raro, conducido por las partes interesadas, por implementar el manejo del ecosistema de abajo hacia arriba en el Condado San Juan, Washington (E.U.A.). Un grupo consultivo de ciudadanos dirigió un esfuerzo altamente participativo para desarrollar un plan de manejo basado en el ecosistema, guiados por un marco de planificación de la conservación preexistente. Una innovación clave fue la incorporación de dimensiones sociales al incluir objetivos tanto socioculturales como de biodiversidad en el proceso de planificación. Múltiples obstáculos dificultaron la implementación del manejo del ecosistema en este escenario. No obstante que se utilizó un plan sustituto, los costos de transacción de la planificación relacionados con la información fueron mayores de lo que el grupo pudo superar: los déficits de información impidieron la evaluación de algunos objetivos de biodiversidad y la insuficiencia de recursos combinada con los déficits de información impidieron la evaluación científica de los objetivos socioculturales. Los costos relacionados con la negociación incrementaron por la incertidumbre, por limitaciones prácticas en la participación de partes interesadas y la existencia de objetivos múltiples, potencialmente conflictivos. Aunque los déficits de información y la incertidumbre, aunados con la baja inversión en los costos de transacción de la planificación, pudieran reducir la efectividad a largo plazo del plan mismo, el capital social y el ímpetu desarrollados durante el proceso de planificación podrían producir ganancias futuras imprevisibles para la protección de recursos marinos. Los obstáculos que identificamos aquí requerirán de atención temprana y sostenida en los esfuerzos para implementar el manejo de ecosistemas en otros escenarios de base popular. [source] Sustainable development indicators for the transmission system of an electric utilityCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Cory Searcy Abstract This paper presents a system of sustainable development indicators for the transmission system of a Canadian electric utility. The indicators were developed based on extensive consultations with internal experts at the case utility and external experts in the field of sustainable development indicators. A total of 98 indicators were incorporated into the system, with 70 being developed as a part of this process and 28 representing indicators previously developed by the company. Recognizing the difficulty of working with nearly 100 unstructured measures, four techniques were used to increase the utility of the indicators: (1) the indicators were clustered around eight key priority areas, (2) the indicators were organized according to a hierarchical approach linked to the business planning process, (3) the process of integrating the indicators with existing corporate initiatives was staggered over time and (4) a tiered aggregate was developed. The process of developing the indicators is discussed, with key lessons learned emphasized throughout the paper. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Interdisciplinary Heterogeneity as a Catalyst for Product Innovativeness of Entrepreneurial TeamsCREATIVITY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Daniel Henneke Although more and more ventures are successfully founded by entrepreneurial teams, the specific benefits of the team-based founding approach have received little attention in extant empirical studies. This study explores the relationship between the level of interdisciplinary heterogeneity in entrepreneurial teams and the level of product innovativeness in high-tech ventures. It is proposed that an interdisciplinary new venture team composition impacts the quality of the strategic planning process (scanning activities, planning openness) and thereby indirectly shapes product innovativeness. The hypotheses are investigated using data from a sample of Canadian high-tech ventures. The findings provide support for the proposed relationship between team heterogeneity, strategic planning and product innovativeness. Venture capitalists, university faculty and incubator institutions are therefore well advised to direct their attention towards fostering a heterogeneous composition of founding teams. [source] Context-Oriented Model Development in Psychotherapy Planning (,COMEPP'): a useful adjunct to diagnosis and therapy of severe personality disordersACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2004M. Fischer-Kern Objective:, Pathogenous interpersonal (e.g. interfamilial) relationships and reference styles can compromise treatment efforts in severely disturbed (i.e. psychotic or borderline) patients. The integration of family- and individual-centred starting points may be useful in establishing interdisciplinary treatment concepts in these patients. Context-Oriented Model Development in Psychotherapy Planning (COMEPP) represents a diagnostic and therapy planning process, integrating both systemic and psychoanalytic conceptualizations. Method:, COMEPP is exemplified by the case of a young man with psychotic personality disorder who had previously been unresponsive to pharmacological and psychological treatment. Results:, After psycho-dynamical conflicts (i.e. primitive projective processes from the patient's mother to her son) had been elucidated during the COMEPP process, a sufficient treatment setting could be established. Conclusion:, COMEPP provides a psychotherapeutical approach to treatment planning on case-specific premises and may serve as an adjunct to concomitant pharmacological and psychological treatment strategies in so-called ,therapy refractory' patients. [source] Planning Environmental Sanitation Programmes in EmergenciesDISASTERS, Issue 2 2005Peter A. Harvey Environmental sanitation programmes are vital for tackling environmental-related disease and ensuring human dignity in emergency situations. If they are to have maximum impact they must be planned in a rapid but systematic manner. An appropriate planning process comprises five key stages: rapid assessment and priority setting; outline programme design; immediate action; detailed programme design; and implementation. The assessment should be based on carefully selected data, which are analysed via comparison with suitable minimum objectives. How the intervention should be prioritised is determined through objective ranking of different environmental sanitation sector needs. Next, a programme design outline is produced to identify immediate and longer-term intervention activities and to guarantee that apposite resources are made available. Immediate action is taken to meet acute emergency needs while the detailed programme design takes shape. This entails in-depth consultation with the affected community and comprehensive planning of activities and resource requirements. Implementation can then begin, which should involve pertinent management and monitoring strategies. [source] Climate proofing Scottish river basin planning, , a future challengeENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 6 2009Kirsty Blackstock Abstract Due to its cyclical planning process, River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) offers a route for adaptive management of a complex human,environment system. Considering how stakeholders speak about climate change provides a lens to examine social learning within RBMP. The paper explores how climate change emerged as a topic during our research and the trajectory of the social learning process. Participants were aware of the challenges that climate change might pose for achieving Good Ecological Status (GES), but as the deadline for the plans drew nearer the focus shifted from long-term issues to the current state of the environment and delivery of objectives. The degree of ,climate proofing' in RBMP depends on choices in future planning phases. We reflect on the potential for this to occur, putting our findings into the context of literature on social learning and adaptive management processes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The Habitats Directive as an instrument to achieve sustainability?ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2006An analysis through the case of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project Abstract The Habitats Directive is a key document for the protection of critical natural capital in the European Union. In a manner consistent with the understanding of sustainability in the European Commission, even critical natural capital is subject to trade-offs in favour of economic and social development. This is reflected in Articles 6(3) and 6(4) of the directive. This paper analyses the planning process leading to the approval of the expansion of the port of Rotterdam project , which will significantly affect Natura 2000 , against sustainability criteria. Although it shows that the directive is powerful to promote sustainable planning, the success of the case study was due mainly to elements specific to the particular planning process, namely the use of deliberative public participation mechanisms as well as specific assessment tools. Lessons are drawn and recommendations made to strengthen the Habitats Directive and the national planning processes in relation to projects potentially affecting Natura 2000 sites. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] A strategy for efficiently implementing a pollution prevention program through the NEPA planning processENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2006Charles H. Eccleston First page of article [source] MUSLIMS, HINDUS, AND SIKHS IN THE NEW RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE OF ENGLAND,GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 4 2003CERI PEACH ABSTRACT. This article examines the dramatic changes brought to English townscapes by Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism. These "new" religions have arrived with the large-scale immigration and subsequent natural growth of the minority ethnic populations of Great Britain since the 1950s. The article traces the growth and distribution of these populations and religions, as well as the development of their places of worship from front-room prayer rooms to cathedral-scale buildings. It explores the way in which the British planning process, dedicated to preserving the traditional, has engaged with the exotic. [source] FedEx Ground retools its succession planning and development processes to deliver business resultsGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 3 2009Heather D'Alesandro A revamped succession planning process at FedEx Ground keeps succession and development decisions clearly focused on the road ahead to ensure the company has its best talent ready for those roles that drive its business strategies and critical initiatives. Changes to the annual talent review process were designed to find and close talent gaps in pivotal leadership roles and competencies, where near-term talent shortages could pose significant business risks. Prework and the review meeting agenda concentrate the discussion on whether the high-potential and promotable individuals are filling these pivotal roles and being developed as rapidly as possible. Enabled by a robust technology platform, officers can also devise broader targeted actions across the organization for addressing shared developmental needs related to critical leadership competencies. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Accelerated leadership development tops the talent management menu at McDonald'sGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 4 2008Audrey Williams-Lee The fast-food giant played catch-up after unprecedented top management turnover drew down its pool of high-potential "ready now" leaders. By aggressively focusing on talent management and leadership development, the company now has a tempting selection of accelerated leadership development programs for high potentials, and is rapidly building bench strength around the globe. The evolution of its efforts began with its first leadership competency model and the integration of key talent processes. Regional, functional, and global leadership development initiatives soon followed, along with a rigorous companywide talent planning process. The company is now turning its attention to high potential talent at lower organizational levels. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Supporting long-term workforce planning with a dynamic aging chain model: A case study from the service industryHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2010Andreas Größler Abstract This study demonstrates how a dynamic, aging chain model can support strategic decisions in workforce planning. More specifically, we used a system dynamics model (a modeling and simulation technique originating from supply chain management) to improve the recruiting and training process in a large German service provider in the wider field of logistics. The key findings are that the aging chain of service operators within the company is affected by a variety of delays in, for example, recruiting, training, and promoting employees, and that the structure of the planning process generates cyclic phases of workforce surplus and shortage. The discussion is based on an in-depth case study conducted in the service industry in 2008. Implications are that planning processes must be fine-tuned to account for delays in the aging chain. The dynamic model provides a tool to gain insight into the problem and to improve the actual human resource planning process. The value of the paper lies in the idea of applying a well-known and quantitative method from supply chain management to a human resource management issue. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] New trends in urban development and public policy in eastern Germany: dealing with the vacant housing problem at the local levelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2004Birgit Glock Supported by federal funds, many eastern German cities have started to address their acute vacant housing problem, and the new strategies attempt to pursue revitalization in especially consistent and comprehensive forms. This article offers evidence that current policies are not meeting their main objectives. Very little is being done in the older, inner-city neighbourhoods, although these have been given a top political priority in the planning process since they are perceived as one of the greatest economic and cultural assets of eastern Germany. Rather, the policies have been effective only in the large-scale housing estates, where local administrations and city governments meet ,big partners' with resources for action. Further, it is argued that present policy strategies focus too tightly on housing market issues alone. Many housing problems cannot be solved using housing market policy tools alone as vacancy is caused by the general trends of depopulation and deindustrialization in the region. Avec l'aide de financements fédéraux, de nombreuses grandes villes est-allemandes se sont attaquées à leur grave problème de logements inoccupés, et les nouvelles stratégies tentent une relance par des formules particulièrement vastes et cohérentes. Cet article démontre que les politiques actuelles n'atteignent pas leurs objectifs principaux. Très peu est fait dans les quartiers anciens déshérités, même si on leur a donné une priorité politique élevée dans le processus d'aménagement puisqu'ils sont en bonne place, dit-on, dans le patrimoine économique et culturel de l'Allemagne de l'Est. En revanche, les politiques publiques n'ont été efficaces que dans les projets de logements à grande échelle lorsque les administrations locales et autorités de la ville rencontrent des ,partenaires de poids' ayant des ressources pour agir. De plus, les stratégies politiques présentes s'attachent trop aux seuls aspects liés au marché du logement. Bien des problèmes d'habitat ne peuvent être résolus à l'aide d'outils de politique de marché puisque la vacance tient aux tendances générales à la dépopulation et à la désindustrialisation de la région. [source] Effect of a Disease-Specific Planning Intervention on Surrogate Understanding of Patient Goals for Future Medical TreatmentJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 7 2010Karin T. Kirchhoff PhD OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a disease-specific planning process can improve surrogate understanding of goals of patients with life-limiting illnesses for future medical treatments. DESIGN: A multisite randomized controlled trial conducted between January 1, 2004 and July 31, 2007. SETTING: Six outpatient clinics of large community or university health systems in three Wisconsin cities. PARTICIPANTS: Competent, English-speaking adults aged 18 and older with chronic congestive heart failure or chronic renal disease and their surrogate decision-makers. INTERVENTION: Trained health professionals conducted a structured, patient-centered interview intended to promote informed decision-making and to result in the completion of a document clarifying the goals of the patient with regard to four disease-specific health outcome situations and the degree of decision-making latitude granted to the surrogate. MEASUREMENTS: Surrogate understanding of patient goals for care with regard to four expected, disease-specific outcomes situations and of the degree of surrogate latitude in decision-making. RESULTS: Three hundred thirteen patient,surrogate pairs completed the study. As measured according to kappa scores and in all four situations and in the degree of latitude, intervention group surrogates demonstrated a significantly higher degree of understanding of patient goals than control group surrogates. Intervention group kappa scores ranged from 0.61 to 0.78, whereas control group kappa scores ranged from 0.07 to 0.28. CONCLUSION: Surrogates in the intervention group had a significantly better understanding of patient goals and preferences than surrogates in the control group. This finding is the first step toward ensuring that patient goals for care are known and honored. [source] Realizing the Potential of Real Options: Does Theory Meet Practice?JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 2 2005Alexander Triantis The idea of viewing corporate investment opportunities as "real options" has been around for over 25 years. Real options concepts and techniques now routinely appear in academic research in finance and economics, and have begun to influence scholarly work in virtually every business discipline, including strategy, organizations, management science, operations management, information systems, accounting, and marketing. Real options concepts have also made considerable headway in practice. Corporate managers are more likely to recognize options in their strategic planning process, and have become more proactive in designing flexibility into projects and contracts, frequently using real options vocabulary in their discussions. Thanks in part to the spread of real options thinking, today's strategic planners are more likely than their predecessors to recognize the "option" value of actions like the following: , dividing up large projects into a number of stages; , investing in the acquisition or production of information; , introducing "modularity" in manufacturing and design; , developing competing prototypes for new products; and , investing in overseas markets. But if real options has clearly succeeded as a way of thinking, the application of real options valuation methods has been limited to companies in relatively few industries and has thus failed to live up to expectations created in the mid- to late-1990s. Increased corporate acceptance and implementations of real options valuation techniques will require several changes coming together. On the theory side, we need more realistic models that better reflect differences between financial and real options, simple heuristic methods that can be more easily implemented (but that have been carefully benchmarked against more precise models), and better guidance on implementation issues such as the estimation of discount rates for the "optionless" underlying projects. On the practitioner side, we need user-friendly real options software, more senior-level buy-in, more deliberate diffusion of real options knowledge throughout organizations, better alignment of managerial incentives with long-term shareholder value, and better-designed contracts to correct the misalignment of incentives across the value chain. If these challenges can be met, there will continue to be a steady if gradual diffusion of real options analysis throughout organizations over the next few decades, with real options eventually becoming not only a standard part of corporate strategic planning, but also the primary valuation tool for assessing the expected shareholder effect of large capital investment projects. [source] Participatory land-use planning and conservation in northern Tanzania rangelandsAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2009Abiud L. Kaswamila Abstract In developing countries, participatory land-use planning is seen as a panacea to mitigate land-use conflicts and enhance land productivity. This assumption has not been thoroughly tested in wildlife corridors. Three villages were selected for this study. Several methods were used to provide indication of the performance of the plans against their stated objectives of mitigating conflicts and conserving wildlife corridors. Three hundred and fifty-eight households and eight park and extension workers were interviewed. In addition, focus group discussion with the nomadic Barabeig, field assessment and review of land-use plan/general management plan reports were carried out. Results reveal that land-use plans failed to achieve their set objectives. For example, 75% of the households held this view. Major causes of failure were insufficient participation by stakeholders in the planning process, lack of robust, transparent and accountable implementation strategies, inadequacy of qualified staff and lack of ,holistic approach' to the planning process. Taking these findings into account, an improved buffer zone land-use planning framework is suggested. For the framework to enhance both conservation and development and to enable policies and legislation, equitable benefit sharing and conservation education, initiation of compensation schemes for depredation caused by wild animals and intensification of patrols are required. [source] Coping With Uncertainties in Advance Care PlanningJOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION, Issue 3 2001Stephen C. Hines This essay extends problematic integration theory and related theories of uncertainty management to communication about serious illness and death. These extensions (a) note that theorizing must focus on multiple, interrelated uncertainties rather than a single such uncertainty; (b) explain how communication with others often problematizes efforts to cope with illness-related uncertainties; and (c) identify specific factors that may influence how persons choose to cope with these uncertainties. The essay describes implications for ongoing efforts to improve communication with persons nearing death. Specifically, they point to 5 incorrect assumptions that limit the effectiveness of current efforts to encourage persons to talk about their end-of-life preferences with others in a process referred to as advance care planning and then suggest concrete changes derived from this framework that can improve the advance care planning process and enhance the quality of end-of- life care. [source] Drought Preparedness and Response in the Context of Sub-Saharan AfricaJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2000Donald A. Wilhite Although drought is a normal, recurring feature of climate, little progress has been made in drought management in most parts of the world. A United Nations study of selected Sub-Saharan African countries revealed that most states have little experience in proactive planning for drought. Only Botswana and South Africa have made serious efforts to develop drought preparedness and response. The lack of contingency planning for drought events in the region results from limited financial resources, inadequate understanding of drought impacts, and poor co-ordination among government agencies. A ten-step planning process, originally developed in 1991 for U.S. states, is suggested as an organizational tool for Sub-Saharan countries to use in the development of drought plans. The process, which emphasizes risk management rather than crisis management, is based on three primary components: (1) monitoring and early warning, (2) vulnerability and impact assessment, (3) mitigation and response. The steps in the process are generic; they can be adapted and applied to the various settings of Sub-Saharan Africa. [source] Esthetic Treatment Planning: The Grid Analysis SystemJOURNAL OF ESTHETIC AND RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2002CRAIG KIRKHAM NAYLOR DDS ABSTRACT It is sometimes difficult to identify esthetic problems let alone pre-visualize an esthetic end-result. The Esthetic Grid Analysis is a system for analyzing the basic problems that detract from the concept of an attractive smile. A photograph is taken of the anterior teeth with the lips retracted. The upper and lower frame of the photograph is aligned parallel with the interpupillary line, assuming that the interpupillary line is parallel with the horizon. Where this is not the case, the vertical margins of the photograph are aligned parallel with the facial midline. Through orienting the photograph to the facial guidelines and incorporating the idealized positions of the incisal plane, highest Upline, midline axis, and proportionate contact areas, a grid is formed. The grid built from these components provides a method of demonstrating deviations from an esthetic arrangement of anterior teeth. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Integrating facial guidelines with the dental composition using a grid highlights deviations from the ideal. It thereby assists in the treatment planning process by communicating esthetic problems to the patient, laboratory personnel, and other specialists. [source] Repeatability of functional MRI for conformal avoidance radiotherapy planningJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 2 2006Roberto Garcia-Alvarez MPhys Abstract Purpose To establish the repeatability of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) examinations in order to develop an appropriate margin for functional organs at risk (fOAR) in the radiotherapy planning process. Materials and Methods This work investigates the variability of motor cortex activation in the left and right hemispheres of 15 normal subjects. The uncertainty of the absolute position and volume of the activation was determined for each volunteer by repeating the fMRI examination three times in a single scan session. Results Our study proposes the use of 2.9 mm and 2.2 mm margins for the left and right motor cortices, respectively. Conclusion From the sample of 15 volunteers we established an appropriate planning margin that is considered to represent the uncertainty in spatially measuring the fOAR for a single fMRI examination. The work will be of interest to anyone investigating the clinical robustness of fMRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] MCDM methods in strategic planning of forestry on state-owned lands in Finland: applications and experiencesJOURNAL OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS, Issue 5 2001Jyrki Kangas Abstract The forests in Finland have been under intensive planning for decades. Currently, mathematical programming is widely used in planning of wood production. Today's multi-functional forestry, however, calls for more flexible decision support methods. MCDM tools have been used in responding to fresh planning challenges. For example, the Finnish Forest and Park Service, entrusted with the care of the vast majority of state-owned natural resources in Finland, endeavours to produce large-scale natural resource plans satisfying the needs of both economic, social, and ecological sustainability. Participatory approach is applied in the process. Several forestry applications of MCDM methods, particularly those making use of the AHP or the HIPRE program, have been presented. Also, the outranking methods ELECTRE and PROMETHEE have been tested. Due to the nature of forestry applications, statistical techniques for analysing uncertainties in pairwise comparisons and for utilizing interval judgement data have been developed to improve the usability of the AHP. Recently, a hybrid method called A'WOT, making use of the AHP and SWOT, was also introduced into strategic forest planning. This paper summarizes the experiences gained in applying a MAVT and two outranking methods in connection with a participatory natural resource planning process in Finland. In addition, some results of the method development work related to application needs are briefly presented. The details of the planning cases reviewed here have previously been presented in forestry journals. The purpose of this paper is not only to show how MCDM methods have been applied in forestry, but also to discuss the usability and usefulness of MCDM methods from the viewpoint of supporting forestry decision making,and how they might further be improved. Also, some perspectives for the future development work of MCDM applications in the field of natural resource management are focused on. As a conclusion, the use of more than just one MCDM method in a single planning process is seen usually recommendable. In addition, developing hybrid MCDM methods is regarded as a potential direction for future research. Also, closer co-operation between method developers and appliers is called for to produce more useful applications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Deinstitutionalization in Ontario, Canada: Understanding Who Moved WhenJOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2010Lynn Martin Abstract The results of deinstitutionalization are well known, but less information is available on the process of deinstitutionalization itself. This study sought to understand the process of deinstitutionalization in Ontario by examining the timing of individuals' transitions to the community and the characteristics of individuals who experienced a change in the timing of their move. Data used were based on census information collected between 2005 and 2008 using the interRAI Intellectual Disability assessment instrument on all persons residing in Ontario's specialized institutions. Analyses of characteristics at baseline by the anticipated transition year revealed the existence of significant differences between the groups. Comparisons of anticipated and actual transition years revealed that about 40% of individuals experienced a change in their transition year. Age, bladder incontinence, and number of medical diagnoses were associated with increased likelihood of moving earlier than anticipated, whereas family contact, presence of a strong and supportive relationship with family, psychiatric diagnoses, destructive behavior, and aggression were associated with higher likelihood of moving later. Careful attention to characteristics and level of need was paid at the onset of the deinstitutionalization planning process; however, the timing of transitions to the community was not "set in stone." In the future, studies should not only examine the individual's outcomes and quality of life in the community, but also should seek to qualitatively describe the individual's and family's experiences of the transition process. This type of information is invaluable for other jurisdictions in which deinstitutionalization is planned or under way. [source] Options for Sustaining School-Based Health CentersJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 4 2004Susan M. Swider ABSTRACT: Several methods exist for financing and sustaining operations of school-based health centers (SBHCs). Promising sources of funds include private grants, federal grants, and slate funding. Recently, federal regulation changes mandated that federal funding specifically for SBHCs go only to SBHCs affiliated with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Becoming a FQHC allows a SBHC to bill Medicaid at a higher rate, be notified about federal grants, and access the federal drug-pricing program. However, FQHCs must bill for services, including a sliding-fee scale based on ability to pay; develop a governance board with a majority of consumer members; provide a set of designated primary care services; and serve all people regardless of ability to pay. Private grants impose fewer restrictions and usually provide start-up and demonstration funds for specific program needs. Such funds are generally time limited, so new programs need to be incorporated into the operational budget of the center. State funding proves relatively stable, but fiscal challenges in some states made these funds less available. Using a variety of funding sources will enable ongoing provision of health care to students. Overall, SBHCs should consider infrastructure development that allows a variety of funding options, including formalizing existing partnership commitments, engaging in a needs assessment and strategic planning process, developing the infrastructure for FQHC status, and implementing a billing system for client services. [source] RATES, RIGHTS, AND REGIONAL PLANNING IN THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 5 2002Richard Atwater ABSTRACT: The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has for more than 70 years shaped the development of an immense urban region. The district's current strategic planning process therefore could have substantial effects on regional water planning and management. The rate restructuring phase of the planning process has produced a multiple component, cost of service based framework. This paper describes that framework as well as some criticisms that have been directed toward it. The rate restructuring was shaped, and for a while stalled, by old disputes among member agencies over rights to water supplied by Metropolitan. That controversy has diverted attention from the resource management implications of the rate structure. This paper presents an alternative future focused approach to regional integrated water resource planning for Southern California based on projections of current trends and anticipation of future events. This discussion raises the question of how regional integrated water resources planning of this sort may proceed, and what role Metropolitan will play in that process. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||