This thesis examines whether the introduction of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the establishment of Strategic Coordinating Groups (SCGs) within an integrated emergency management framework provides Scotland with an effective crisis response structure and resilience. A key aspect of resilience is the ability of the SCGs to learn from previous experiences. This research will consider the organisational learning of the SCGs to determine whether it is as effective as it could be. It first focuses on the organisational structure of the SCG and analyses it in terms of network management to determine its crisis management effectiveness. It then considers whether the SCGs are suitably adaptive to crises and learn from the experience of managing them and thereby enhance their preventative capability, as envisaged by the resilience policy. The principal argument is that the current structure does not ensure effective organisational learning and therefore Scotland’s resilience is diminished. Design/Methodology/Approach A qualitative approach is used. Data is gathered through interviews and non-participant observations, and interpreted by a combination of inductive and deductive approaches. The use of triangulation of data enhances its validity. Systems theory provides analytical frameworks to examine the SCG structure and processes, and to determine whether SCGs successfully achieve the desired outcome of resilience and effective crisis management. Findings/Practical Implications Using the systems approach identifies that real world SCGs have a number of variances from the ideal state. The current SCG structure is complex which makes communication and coordination challenging, which undermines the SCG crisis response. The absence of a dynamic monitoring mechanism within the SCG makes it difficult to learn lessons from previous crises and adapt to environmental changes. The thesis concludes by making a number of recommendations for improving SCG crisis management effectiveness and resilience.

D.T. Ross and J.E. Ward. / Final technical report; / Includes bibliographical references. / "May 1968"--Cover. "Advanced Fabrication Techniques Branch, Manufacturing Technology Division, Air Force Materials Laboratory, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio"--Cover. Errata sheet inserted. / MMP Project. 8-236 United States Air Force. AF-33(600)-40604 AF-33(600)-42859 AF-33(657)-10954

The impact of the world oil price increases of the early 1970s and those that occured in the 1980s, and the corresponding growth in revenue for the Nigerian economy had two major effects. First, it affected the official exchange rates and its determination, hence fiscal developments for the country. At the same time, the windfall also led to an unbalanced sectoral change within the economy. Both the internal and external economic situation since the oil shock had shown persistent imbalances requiring adjustments. In analysing the oil shock effect, a comprehensive assessment of the influences of exchange rates and structural adjustment problems employs the valuable strengths of the monetary approach aspects of exchange rates determination; particularly on the question of external payments adjustment and of inflation of domestic price levels. The function of exchange rate as an instrument of stabilization policy in an economy such as Nigeria is imperative. A relatively stable exchange rate standard in a world of significant variability is important in evaluating the impact of exchange rate changes on the economy; precisely because the financial infrastructures are at the developing state. When tight controls on the foreign trade sector also lead to the establishment of an unofficial market in foreign exchange, the question of stability would depend on which of the two markets adjust quicker. The market with the more rapid rate of adjustment can therefore provide a guide to exchange rate policy performance. In analysing the stuctural adjustments impact of the oil revenues, features of both national and global economic environment that are significant for macroeconomic performance, which are also proximately related to exchange rates determination are considered by using the dutch-disease framework. By laying emphasis on the fuction of exchange rates mechanism and the impact of the oil revenue increases at macroeconomic level, the large and persistent misalignment of real exchange rates and the general economic policies of the oil boom era are thus analysed in-depth.

No description available.

This research traces the development of public administration in Malawi from the pre-colonial period to the post-colonial period up to 2012, and finds that public administration in Malawi has spanned four epochs: the pre-colonial traditional African administration; the British Colonial Administration from 1891 to 1964; the post-colonial administration under the one party regime from 1964 to 1994; and the post-colonial administration under the multiparty democracy from 1994 to the present period, 2012. Of particular interest to the research are the major factors that have led to administrative change through this public administration spectrum, and how the changes have affected information and record keeping. The research seeks to establish the relationship that exists between administrative change and record keeping. The research finds that colonialism was a change factor which transformed the pre-colonial administrative set-up and its information keeping systems, and led to the establishment of the Western bureaucracy and record keeping systems modelled on those in Britain. The enactment of the Native Authority Ordinance in 1933 established Native Authorities, which comprised local chiefs and their councillors, as part of the local government. The establishment of the Native Authorities resulted in the establishment of record keeping systems that captured and maintained official records at local levels of government throughout the country. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland as one of the remarkable administrative developments during the colonial period promoted records management programmes and led to the establishment of the National Archives in Malawi. As part of the administrative change in preparation for the transfer of power, the Treasury’s Organisation and Methods Unit reviewed and instituted new record keeping systems for government departments. Before the transfer of power, the research finds that the Colonial Administration exported some categories of records to London and ordered the destruction of certain categories of records held by District Commissioners throughout the country. Furthermore, the research finds that soon after the transfer of power, the new administration disregarded record keeping by repealing the Records Management regulations from the Malawi Public Service Regulations. This has been detrimental to public sector record keeping. Additionally, the one party government imposed controls on access to public archives by frequently closing the Archives, imposing lengthy and difficult access procedures, limiting areas for research, and using the Archives for intelligence surveillance. This thesis finds that, towards the end of the one party regime, some sensitive records were destroyed by the outgoing regime. After the attainment of democracy, the research finds that public archives were made widely and easily accessible, and that the public archives asumed a new meaning for ordinary people who had suffered from widespread attrocities during the one party regime. A number of governance reforms that have been undertaken have on the one hand, resulted in the promotion of records management and on the other hand, relied heavily on good record keeping for their successful implementation. Additionally, the research finds that technological developments have shaped the way in which the public sector generates and manages records today. Last, but not least, the research finds that implementation of some of the International Monetary Fund/World Bank policy reforms, such as privatisation of public enterprises, downsising, and freeze in public service employment, have impacted both positively and negatively on record keeping in Malawi. Likewise, implementation of the New Public Management policy reforms, such as commercialisation of the Staff Development Institute of Malawi, and compulsory competitive bidding in the public service, have had both positive and negative effects on record keeping. The research concludes that the developments that have taken place during all the four administrative epochs have had an immense bearing on record keeping, and therefore a direct relationship exists between administrative change and record keeping. Administrative change is responsible for shaping record keeping over a period of time and as long as administrative change occurs, record keeping will keep on developing in response. Although this is the case, good record keeping plays an important role in facilitating effective implementation of public sector reforms that result from administrative change. Citing Malawi as a case study, this thesis concludes that administrative change and public sector reforms provide a better context for understanding the history and development of record keeping in a country, than any other context because administrative change and public sector reforms are necessitated by the interaction of socio-political, economic and technological factors.

minerology

Submitted thesis deals with the Kadi case law of both the General Court and the Court of Justice. It focuses mainly on its structural aspects and the specific procedural standards which are to be applied according to the ECJ's Kadi case law in the context of counter terrorist measures aimed at individuals are only briefly mentioned. While the General Court dismissed an action lodged by Mr. Kadi on the ground that EU's measures strictly implementing UN Security Council resolutions cannot be reviewed in light of their compliance with EU's human rights principles, the Court of Justice held in favor of the applicant. Although both instances departed from the same point that is, that it is the EU law which determines the status and effects of international law within the EU law, they differ in terms of what the EU law says about the status of the Charter of the UN within the EU law system. The General Court based its decision on the combination of succession of the EU into international obligations of its member states established in the 1970s and articles 347 and 351 TFEU. The succession is required because for a legal norm to serve as a standard of review it needs to be intenally binding on the Union and the article 351 TFEU or its sibling is required to elevate the Charter of the UN (and the UN...

Public administrators are the people who not only administer public services, but who are also expected to carry out reform and to embed 'new ways of doing things' in the machinery and mentality of public sector organisations. Yet, research has shown that, in pursuing change initiatives, due attention is rarely paid to how public administrators feel, think and make meaning. As a direct consequence, public administrative reforms frequently disappoint by failing to generate the promised positive results. Hence, this thesis explores the nebulous phenomenon of subjective meaning-making in the context of Abu Dhabi Government's customercentric reform. This is accomplished in two practical steps: Firstly, the study employs Q Methodology to identify five viewpoints that different groups of public administrators share: (1) The benefactor's epic fail, (2) Managerialism in modern Arabiya, (3) Triumph of the cherished patriarch, (4) The traditional ways of the Bedouins, and (5) The reign of formulas over culture. In the second step, a Cultural Reference Group drills down into each shared viewpoint to reveal group-specific knowledge structures, or collective schemata. The study discovers that content schemata and context schemata interact with situational influencers in producing shared viewpoints, and a socio-cognitive model is proposed to illuminate these processes. The findings contribute to an understanding of the subjective constructions that public administrators share at group-level, and how these impact ou the opportunities for meaningful reform.

The public's trust in government is a subject that arouses interest and debate among researchers and politicians alike. This thesis is concerned with public trust in government in China and particularly in local government. It provides insights both on the patterns of public trust in different levels of government and explores the key factors that account for variance in this respect. In light of the findings in this respect, the thesis also makes suggestions about measures that might be taken to improve public trust in local government particularly in the China context. A mixed methods research design has been employed that has included analysis of responses to a major trans-China quantitative survey of public opinions and the conduct of a series of semi-structured interviews with local government officials operating at different governmental levels within one municipal city. The research examines the commonalities and differences between the perspectives of citizens and of officials with regard to the scale, nature and causes of public distrust in local government. The thesis considers the implications of the findings and makes suggestions as to the kinds of policy and practice responses that would seem necessary to improve Chinese's citizens' trust levels in their local government.

by Communications Biophysics Group of Research Laboratory of Electronics and William M. Siebert. / "July 7, 1959"--Cover. / Includes bibliographies. / Army Signal Corps Contract DA36-039-sc-78108. Dept. of the Army Task 3-99-06-108 and Project 3-99-00-100.