Unstable residential and inadequate academic environments lead to poor educational outcomes for low-income students in urban areas. In 2011, Ohio enacted a law to create a college preparatory boarding school (CPBS) for low-income students by 2013. However, Ohio's CPBS has not yet been established, thereby denying these students an opportunity to attain skills needed to enter college. Using the policy feedback theory (PFT) and Fredrickson's theory of social equity (SET) as foundations, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the nature of implementation barriers and propose solutions by exploring 2 successful CPBS programs in Maryland and Washington, D.C. The research questions focused on identifying implementation practices from the successful CPBS programs with the aim to propose options to implement Ohio's law. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of 14 participants which included 2 Ohio legislators; public administrators, Ohio (7), Maryland (1), Washington, D.C (3); and 1 Ohio union leader, and a review of relevant public and official records. All data were deductively coded and subjected to a constant comparison analysis. Results showed that Ohio's public education administrators were excluded from the CPBS policy's design, unlike their peers. Further, Ohio's CPBS law favored a particular stakeholder involved in its design and was not executed when Ohio's education administrators and the entity disagreed over public assets ownership. The findings affirmed SET's condition for an open and inclusive policy process and PFT's claim that current policies affect resources and the paradigm for new policies. Positive social change implications from this study include recommendations to Ohio's policymakers to create a more inclusive process involving parties willing to provide an effective learning environment for economically marginalized children.

In Canada mental health related concerns are estimated to cost the economy $20-$50 billion annually. 500,000 Canadian each week have to take time off of work because of a mental health disability. This study explores the experiences of people living with a mental health disability in the workplace. The goal is to provide an opportunity to highlight many of the obstacles they face every day. This study relies on qualitative methodologies, using semi-structured interviews to get a more detailed understanding of their experiences. This study not only highlights the perceptions, experience and challenges of people living with a mental health disability, it highlights coping strategies and suggestions for building mentally health workplaces. The participant’s personal narratives can help by providing a chance for a community to build and be used to challenge the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health. / October 2016

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:22:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Christianne de Carvalho Stroppa.pdf: 934853 bytes, checksum: 00c3c59f1b8ba7faea9b11fef6db4fd6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-18 / Bidding has always been seen as an instrumental activity of the State. However, with the term of the 1988 Federal Constitution, its legal nature begins to undergo profound changes. This is because one of the foundations of our legal and constitutional is the idea of social function. In the pursuit of social function, the state realizes that by using the bid, it may present as an activity of sustainable economic development, employment generation and income for a large portion of society and the eradication of poverty. This new function of the institute "bid" received from the federal government to use the name of the purchasing power of the State. In using this purchasing power, the state seeks to regulate the market. With that, the bidding stops being one of the support activities of the state, becoming one of its core activities more relevant. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that the different legal status and privileged established by Complementary Law nº 123/2006, in its articles 42-49, microenterprises and small businesses was responsible for the change of the legal nature of the bidding / A licitação sempre foi vista como uma atividade instrumental do Estado. Entretanto, com a vigência da Constituição Federal de 1988, sua natureza jurídica passa a sofrer profundas alterações. Isto porque, um dos alicerces do nosso ordenamento jurídicoconstitucional é a ideia de função social. Na busca da função social, percebe o Estado que, ao se utilizar da licitação, ela pode se apresentar como atividade de desenvolvimento econômico sustentável, geração de emprego e renda para uma grande parcela da sociedade e erradicação da pobreza. Essa nova função do instituto licitação recebeu do Governo federal a denominação de uso do poder de compra do Estado. No uso desse poder de compra, o Estado busca regular o mercado. Com isso, a licitação deixa de ser uma das atividades-meio do Estado, passando a ser uma de suas atividades-fim mais relevante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi demonstrar que o tratamento jurídico diferenciado e privilegiado estabelecido pela Lei complementar nº 123/2006, em seus artigos 42 a 49, às microempresas e empresas de pequeno porte foi o responsável pela mudança da natureza jurídica da Licitação

This thesis analyzes the impact of the political decision to broaden the scope of the Government of Canada's 3-year National Homelessness Initiative (Human Resource Development Canada, NHI, 2002) from an urban focus to one that includes smaller communities. This change provided the opportunity to study the phenomenon of homelessness and how rural responses are formed. This author postulates that this focus of attention on an almost invisible phenomenon—rural homelessness—and the accompanying community planning processes funded by the Supportive Community Partnership Initiative (SCPI) will impact local social policy development. A multi-dimensional analytical approach was adopted and considered three components: first, a policy review, a broad look at the policy agenda framework in Canada; then, a case study to illustrate implementation issues related to the National Homelessness Initiative; and, finally, a reflection on current practice in order to realize a holistic critique of public policy. The influence of socio-economic, political, and cultural factors on local planning and capacity building will be highlighted. Various models of governance were adopted across the country and guided the collaborative processes. This thesis presents an in-depth look at the community action plans and activities of the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness (SCATEH) in both the rural and urban settings of Simcoe County. The processes adopted, capacity building components identified, and outcomes over the 7 years covered by the SCPI agreement are examined. The limitations of using participatory local action planning to respond to complex issues such as homelessness are detailed along with a modified community-based policy development model recommended as a learning tool to be used by those volunteers acting as agents of change. It is widely recognized that safe, affordable social housing is a fundamental need, and one that is extremely difficult to meet. The contribution this research makes is to reveal how effective government-community partnerships can be in a rural setting.

This thesis analyzes the impact of the political decision to broaden the scope of the Government of Canada's 3-year National Homelessness Initiative (Human Resource Development Canada, NHI, 2002) from an urban focus to one that includes smaller communities. This change provided the opportunity to study the phenomenon of homelessness and how rural responses are formed. This author postulates that this focus of attention on an almost invisible phenomenon—rural homelessness—and the accompanying community planning processes funded by the Supportive Community Partnership Initiative (SCPI) will impact local social policy development. A multi-dimensional analytical approach was adopted and considered three components: first, a policy review, a broad look at the policy agenda framework in Canada; then, a case study to illustrate implementation issues related to the National Homelessness Initiative; and, finally, a reflection on current practice in order to realize a holistic critique of public policy. The influence of socio-economic, political, and cultural factors on local planning and capacity building will be highlighted. Various models of governance were adopted across the country and guided the collaborative processes. This thesis presents an in-depth look at the community action plans and activities of the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness (SCATEH) in both the rural and urban settings of Simcoe County. The processes adopted, capacity building components identified, and outcomes over the 7 years covered by the SCPI agreement are examined. The limitations of using participatory local action planning to respond to complex issues such as homelessness are detailed along with a modified community-based policy development model recommended as a learning tool to be used by those volunteers acting as agents of change. It is widely recognized that safe, affordable social housing is a fundamental need, and one that is extremely difficult to meet. The contribution this research makes is to reveal how effective government-community partnerships can be in a rural setting.

La tesi seguirà il processo di sviluppo in occasione della riforma 2013 della PAC. Senza tentare di fare un'analisi approfondita sui successi e gli insuccessi del quadro politico precedente, si concentrerà più sui le opinioni delle parti interessate sulle sfide della politica stava affrontando alla data e le possibili soluzioni proposte dalle parti interessate a prendere il la politica in avanti. Una visione a 360 ° delle posizioni assunte dalle parti interessate rivelerà loro valutazione dell'efficacia della politica, l'efficacia degli strumenti esistenti per affrontare le nuove sfide, nonché identificherà le nuove direzioni che essi propongono per lo sviluppo delle politiche per affrontare le sfide future. Tale analisi consentirà l'identificazione del luogo e l'importanza data dalla parti interessate per la promozione dell'innovazione e della sostenibilità nel settore agricolo attraverso gli strumenti della PAC. La tesi si propone di cogliere il ruolo delle diverse opinioni delle parti interessate nello sviluppo della politica e quindi di fare un'analisi delle sfide e delle opportunità parti interessate devono affrontare nel contesto della implementatione delle politiche agricole. / The thesis will follow the policy development process during the 2013 reform of the CAP. Without attempting to make an in-depth expert analysis on the successes and failures of the previous policy framework, it will focus more on reflecting the opinions of the stakeholders on the challenges the policy was facing at date and possible solutions proposed by stakeholders to take the policy forward. A 360° vision on the positions taken by stakeholders will reveal their assessment of the effectiveness of the policy, the efficacy of existing instruments to address new challenges as well as will identify the new directions they propose for policy development to meet future challenges. Such an analysis will allow identifying the place and importance given by stakeholders to the promoting innovation and sustainability in the agricultural sector through the instruments of the CAP. The thesis aims at capturing the role of the various stakeholder opinions in the development of the policy and then to make an analysis of the challenges and opportunities stakeholders face in the context of the new policy implementation.

Rural and remote areas of Australia remain the last bastion of health disadvantage in a developed nation with an enviable health score-card. During the last ten years, rural and remote health has emerged as a significant issue in the media and the political arena. This thesis examines print media, policy documents and interviews from selected informants to ascertain how they represent medical practitioners and health services in rural and remote areas of Australia, why they do so, and the consequences of such positions. In many of these representations, rural and remote medical practitioners are aligned with national and cultural mythologies, while health services are characterised as dysfunctional and at crisis point. Ostensibly, the representations and identity formulations are aimed at redressing the health inequities in remote rural and Australia. They define and elaborate debates and contestations about needs and claims and how they should be addressed; a process that is crucial in the development of professional identity and power (Fraser; 1989). The research involves an analysis and critical reading of the entwined discourses of culture, power, and the politics of need. Following Wodak and others (1999), these dynamics are explored by examining documents that are part of the discursive constitution of the field. In particular, the research examines how prevailing cultural concepts are used to configure the Australian rural and remote medical practitioner in ways that reflect and advance socio-cultural hegemony. The conceptual tools used to explore these dynamics are drawn from critical and post-structural theory, and draw upon the work of Nancy Fraser (1989; 1997) and Ruth Wodak (1999). Both theorists developed approaches that enable investigation into the effects of language use in order to understand how the cultural framing of particular work can influence power relations in a professional field. The research follows a cultural studies approach, focussing on texts as objects of research and acknowledging the importance of discourse in the development of cultural meaning (Nightingale, 1993). The methodological approach employs Critical Discourse Analysis, specifically the Discourse Historical Method (Wodak, 1999). It is used to explore the linguistic hallmarks of social and cultural processes and structures, and to identify the ways in which political control and dominance are advanced through language-based strategies. An analytical tool developed by Ruth Wodak, Rudolf de Cillia, Martin Reisigl and Karin Leibhart (1999) was adapted and used to identify nationalistic identity formulations and related linguistic manoeuvres in the texts. The dissertation argues that the textual linguistic manoeuvres and identity formulations produce and privilege a particular identity for rural and remote medical practitioners, and that cultural myth is used to popularise, shore up and advance the goals of rural doctors during a period of crisis and change. Important in this process is the differentiation of rural and remote medicine from other disciplines in order to define and advance its political needs and claims (Fraser, 1989). This activity has unexpected legacies for the rural and remote health sector. In developing a strong identity for rural doctors, discursive rules have been established by the discipline regarding roles, personal and professional characteristics, and practice style; rules which hold confounding factors for the sustainability of remote and rural medical practice and health care generally. These factors include: the professional fragmentation of the discipline of primary medical care into general practice and rural medicine; and identity formulations that do not accommodate an ageing workforce characterised by cultural diversity, decreasing engagement in full time work, and a higher proportion of women participants. Both of these factors have repercussions for the recruitment and retention of rural and remote health professionals and the maintenance of a sustainable health workforce. The dissertation argues that the formulated identities of rural and remote medical practitioners in the texts maintain and reproduce relationships of cultural, political and social power. They have also influenced the ways in which rural and remote health services have been developed and funded. They selectively represent and value particular roles and approaches to health care. In doing so, they misrepresent the breadth and complexities of rural and remote health issues, and reinforce a reputational economy built on differential professional and cultural respect, and political and economic advantage. This disadvantages the community, professions and interest groups of lower value and esteem, and other groups whose voices are often not heard. Thus, regardless of their altruistic motivations, the politics of identity and differentiation employed in the formulated identities in the texts are based on an approach that undermines the redistributive goals of justice and equity (Fraser 1997), and works primarily to develop and advantage the discipline of rural medicine.

Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Public Administration) / The significance of small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMEs) development cannot be overemphasized because it plays a considerable role in a nation's economy particularly in developing countries. SMEs' contributions include job creation, expanding the means of sustainable livelihoods and ensuring impartial distribution of wealth amongst citizens. This study evaluates monitoring and evaluation systems, policy and programmes of the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to develop and transform the informal sector of the economy. The main purpose of the establishment of SMEDAN is to facilitate the promotion and development of a structured and effective small and medium enterprises sector that will provide informal employment for unemployed, and enhance sustainable livelihood and economic development in Nigeria. Unemployment and increased poverty levels are key challenges to the government of Nigeria, which has resulted in socio-economic and political unrest across the nation. Against the background of high unemployment rate, especially amongst the youth and the deteriorating fortunes of small and medium businesses in Nigeria, questions can be asked in relation to current initiatives and policies to support SME sector.