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The capability approach has the power to examine how different societal arrangements can be pivotal for the fulfilment and/or deprivations of individual human capabilities and human development [Sen, A. K. 1999. Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press]. However, little analysis has been so far devoted to the centrality of the local community for human capabilities, which constitutes the most proximate socio-institutional setting that most directly shapes individual and collective well-being. In order to reflect about the relations between community and capabilities, this paper embraces a geographical definition of community (complementary—not superior—to other conceptualizations) with a twofold scope. Firstly, it aims at filling the theoretical vacuum presenting an extension of the STEHD framework (Sustainable Territorial Evolution for Human Development) introduced by Biggeri and Ferrannini [2014a. Sustainable Human Development: A New Territorial and People-centred Perspective. New York: Palgrave Macmillan], which links the individual, collective and local community dynamics affecting human capabilities. Secondly, it aims at showing how this framework can help to examine the different processes in place at the community level, by applying to the case study of a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme implemented in Mandya and Ramanagaram Districts (Karnataka State, India). The paper is structured into five sections. After the introduction, the second section introduces the STEHD framework and reveals its potential to frame the local community dynamics. In the third section, the case study is introduced and the main results in terms of human development outcomes are discussed. In the fourth section, the dynamic processes of individual, collective and community change fostered by the CBR programme are analysed by applying the STEHD framework. The last section concludes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the importance of and value added by applying the capability approach to strategize, design, monitor or evaluate development initiatives, by operationalizing this agency-oriented (participatory) and opportunity-based perspective and by widening standard methods to deal with new informational spaces. In the first part of the paper a dynamic analytical framework on capabilities expansion/reduction processes—which places at the central stage the opportunity gaps between valuable community functionings and individual capability sets—is presented. These gaps represent the policy area where tailored and appropriate place-specific and people-centred development initiatives can entail the maximum expansion of real freedoms. Then, on the basis of this framework, the paper presents an original participatory methodology—the “O-Gap Analysis”—which can complement standard methods to provide systematized assessments of capabilities within communities to inform policy actions. An empirical case study is also discussed, analysing the application of this methodological procedure regarding a community-based rehabilitation project in Uganda. Applying the capability approach policy interventions cannot be necessarily unique for all individuals or social groups experiencing opportunity gaps for what they have reason to value, as different barriers or mix of barriers and conversion factors, values, desires and aspiration call for tailored people-centred development initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pandemic urges us to advancing a new and different framing on industrial policy. • Industrial policy plays a key role to tackle dramatic societal challenges. • We have reached a turning point on industrial policy, sustainability and development. • We need a new analytical framework on industrial policy governance and implementation. • Industrial policy in a post-Covid19 era should foster sustainable human development. National and local societies all around the world are fighting the most dramatic global public health emergency of our time, which has soon become an economic, social and human crisis touching all key dimensions of our lives. Within an inevitable revamping attention on the need for government intervention to face the challenges raised by the Covid19 pandemic, industrial policy is appearing as a central piece of the puzzle. As production dynamics in every country is highly affected by the crisis, industrial policy is considered part of the response to solve dramatic economic and social problems deriving by extraordinary levels of unemployment, deprivation and poverty. In this paper, we argue that a turning point on the connection between industrial policy, sustainability and development has been reached, highlighting the need to rethink its theoretical foundations as well as its governance and implementation processes for a new role in our post-Covid 19 societies. Therefore, the research question underlying this paper deals primarily with the nexus between the debate on industrial policy and its effects in terms of human development, social cohesion and sustainability. For this reason, we attempt at closing the gap between different strands of literature, whose integrated connection leads to a new analytical framework with real-world implications on the role of industrial policy, not only as tool for productive dynamics, but also as a leverage for sustainable human development. All in all, we aim at contributing to the debate on our post-Covid19 economies and societies in two ways: firstly, by providing a new integrated analytical framework on industrial policy to steer a sustainable structural change of our economies and societies towards sustainable human development; secondly, by identifying preliminary implications on industrial policy governance and implementation, investing in the accurate and transparent design of industrial policy in the post-Covid19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If the transformative potential of the Agenda 2030 is to be realised, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have to be fully embraced at the local level. Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) have recently emerged as a powerful tool to localise the SDGs, representing an innovation by and for the cities to advance progress on their local priorities in a participatory, inclusive and transparent manner. Through the capability lens, this paper briefly analyses recent experiences of a range of VLRs, by focusing on four issues. First, VLRs strengthen the innovation of data and measurement frameworks at the local level; second, through participation and inclusion of communities and minorities, VLRs foster transparency and accountability, hence contributing towards (re)building the social contract; third, VLR processes have been widely anchored to the design of new long-term strategic plans for sustainable human development; and, fourth, VLRs contribute to overcome institutional fragmentation and foster multilevel policy coherence towards the SDGs. Our policy insights and recommendations intend contributing to laying the foundation for the next generation of local reviews in line with the core elements of the Capability Approach and the sustainable human development paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Agenda 2030 requires tracking progress towards the SDGs in an 'integrated' way. • The SDG Index does not allow for the 'integrated' nature of the SDGs. • The MSI overcomes problems associated with the arithmetic and geometric means. • The new MSI inspired I-SDI embraces synergies between and within goals. • The I-SDI provide new monitoring tools for global, national and local policy. Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an important challenge and strategic opportunity for stakeholders and beneficiaries involved with Agenda 2030 at all levels. To monitor progress across a diverse set of goals with multiple targets and indicators and to track overall progress, Jeffrey Sachs and associates have developed the SDG Index. Although their index is robust and permits comparisons across countries, it neglects the 'balanced' and 'integrated' nature of the SDGs (set out in Transforming Our World), and exhibits well-known problems associated with the use of an arithmetic mean (which assumes perfect substitution between dimensions). To overcome these difficulties, this paper introduces an adjusted 'Integrated Sustainable Development Index' (I-SDI) that can take account of trade-offs and synergies between goals and targets as well as across the economic, social and environmental spheres of sustainable development. This is accomplished by introducing a new aggregation method based on the Multidimensional Synthesis of Indicators (MSI) approach. This approach overcomes well-known problems associated with replacing the arithmetic mean with the geometric mean (a difficulty encountered by the post-2010 HDI). Specifically, it makes an allowance for the heterogeneity of dimensions, while avoiding the tendency of the geometric mean to collapse to zero. In this paper, the I-SDI scores and rankings are compared with those generated by the SDG Index and the geometric mean. Moreover, to capture the heterogeneity within goals, the I-SDI2 is introduced (which applies the MSI method within as well as between goals). By taking account of heterogeneity within and between goals as well as across the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, and by capturing synergies and trade-offs among indicators, our study reveals crucial differences in I-SDI scores and rankings that illustrate the value of a more flexible and integrated measure for guiding policymakers and monitor overall progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern societies are increasingly characterised by complex multilevel governance mechanisms. Nonetheless, evaluations of how development initiatives are implemented with respect to the international aid effectiveness agenda have embraced this multilevel complexity only to a limited extent. The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to place the discussion on aid effectiveness within a multilevel governance perspective, going beyond country assessments. Secondly, to evaluate the Paris principles in terms of dynamic processes rather than simply outcomes, thus entailing the need for systemic evaluations, also through participatory methods. The Ethio-Italian cooperation project 'Agricultural Value Chains in Oromia' is analysed as a case study, assessing its coherence with the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness by involving stakeholders at different levels. Overall, the project's focus on transformative quality-oriented value chain processes is proved to substantially shape dynamic multi-stakeholder interactions in enhancing Paris principles at local, national and international levels. Les sociétés modernes sont caractérisés par des mécanismes de gouvernance complexes et a plusieurs niveaux. Néanmoins, cette complexité n'a été étudié que partiellement dans les évaluations de comment les initiatives de développement sont implémentes au sein de l'agenda international de l'efficacité de l'aide. Cette étude a deux buts : d'abord, de placer la discussion sur l'efficacité de l'aide au sein de la perspective de gouvernance multiniveaux, au-delà des évaluations de pays individuels. Ensuite, on évalue les principes de Paris comme des principes dynamiques, et pas seulement comme des résultats, à travers des méthodes participatives et des évaluations systématiques. Le projet « Chaines de valeur agricultural en Oromia » , une coopération Italo-Ethiopienne, est utilisé comme étude de cas. On évalue sa cohérence avec la Déclaration de Paris sur l'efficacité de l'aide impliquant des parties prenantes à différents niveaux. On révèle comment l'objectif du projet, c'est-à-dire le procès transformationnel dans la chaine de valeur cible sur la qualité, façonne de forme dynamique les interactions multilatérales en améliorant les principes de Paris a niveau locale, nationale et internationale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the efficiency and sustainability of production systems has drawn attention to the importance of monitoring the social and environmental impacts of production processes and management systems. In particular, integrated models and tools need to be developed to assess the application of sustainable operations – especially in those sectors characterized by a high presence of SMEs. This paper proposes an integrated assessment model – the Small and Medium Enterprise Compliance Assessment (SECA) – for SMEs involved in manufacturing and production. SECA provides an integrated tool to detect a firm's compliance with mandatory requirements on environmental and social issues in accordance with relevant legislation applicable in the country. This assessment model employs a new Index of Small and Medium Enterprise Compliance to synthesize both the levels of compliance and the complementary risks to which the enterprise is exposed to, given the applicable legislative domains. To test the model, a pilot application was conducted based on the analysis of 99 Chinese-owned SMEs operating in the textile and fashion manufacturing district in Prato. These enterprises voluntarily underwent the assessment procedure to measure their compliance with mandatory processes and regulations. The results that emerge from this pilot application demonstrate the relevance and capacity of SECA to assess and understand the degree of SMEs' compliance with relevant legislation on sustainability matters. The application also demonstrates the models' potential to be adapted to other local contexts and SMEs as required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]