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India has produced several drafts of data policies. In this work, they are referred to [1] JBNSCR 2018, [2] DPDPR 2018, [3] NSAI 2018, [4] RAITF 2018, [5] PDPB 2019, [6] PRAI 2021, [7] JPCR 2021, [8] IDAUP 2022, [9] IDABNUP 2022. All of them consider Artificial Intelligence (AI) a social problem solver at the societal level, let alone an incentive for economic growth. However, these policy drafts warn of the social disruptions caused by algorithms and encourage the careful use of computational technologies in various social contexts. Hence, the emerging data society and its implications in India's social contexts demand immense social science attention, which needs to be improved in the policy drafts, primarily because they are creations of industry stakeholders, technocrats, bureaucrats, and experts from tech schools. In the larger social milieu of digital infrastructure emerging, the fundamental question is whether India's national philosophy envisioned in the Indian constitution is reflected in the policy papers. The paper enquires whether the national data policy upholds the core values dispersed through the philosophy of the Indian constitution, which, among other things, is not confined only to inclusion, diversity, rights, liberty, justice and equality. By focusing on constitutional values, the paper seeks to offer a broader and more critical understanding of India's approach to AI policy by bringing together analyses of a wide array of policy documents available in the public realm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood development (ECD) refers to the physical, motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, and linguistic development of a young child. The 'Countdown to 2030' global distribution of 'children at risk of poor development' indicates the need for urgent action and investment in ECD. Nurturing care enhances ECD, even in the presence of adversities. Strategic actions should exist at multiple levels: the family, community, health care providers and government. Previously, child health related policies and programs of the Government of India functioned in isolation, but have recently started demonstrating multi-sectoral collaboration. Nonetheless, the status of ECD in India is far from optimal. There is strong evidence that parenting programs improve outcomes related to ECD. This is dependent on key programmatic areas (timing, duration, frequency, intensity, modality, content, etc.), in addition to political will, funding, partnership, and plans for scaling up. Each country must implement its unique ECD program that is need-based and customized to their stakeholder community. Barriers like inadequate sensitization of the community and low competency of health care providers need to be overcome. IAP firmly believes that responsive parenting interventions revolving around nurturing care should be incorporated in office practice. This paper outlines IAP's position on ECD, and its recommendations for pediatricians and policy makers. It also presents the roadmap in partnership with other stakeholders in maternal, neonatal, and child health; Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), National Neonatology Forum (NNF), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous variables are involved in determining the market capitalization and price of cryptocurrencies. So, It is impossible to ignore the feedback of each variable on the other ones. Also, Bitcoin management is challenging due to inter-dependencies and feedback between economic and social drivers. To better understand the dynamics that different variables have on Bitcoin, a system dynamics approach has been developed to investigate the complex interactions between factors related to Bitcoin and paper money and how these factors may affect the stability of Bitcoin. This paper aims to examine the impact of government support for Bitcoin in the future, news and sentiments effect on Bitcoin market price, and the future orientation of Bitcoin. For this purpose, a simulation period is considered from 2017 to 4500 days later. Moreover, In this study, policies have been designed to check the impact of policies on variables in the long term by keeping other variables constant. The results show that if governments support Bitcoin as an official trading currency in the future, the market price of Bitcoin and its trading volume will grow upward and fluctuate so that its market price will go up to about 90 thousand dollars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the world, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being more widely employed in public sector decision-making and processes as a supposedly neutral and an efficient method for optimizing delivery of services. However, the deployment of these technologies has also prompted investigation into the potentially unanticipated consequences of their introduction, to both positive and negative ends. This paper chooses to focus specifically on the relationship between gender bias and AI, exploring claims of the neutrality of such technologies and how its understanding of bias could influence policy and outcomes. Building on a rich seam of literature from both technological and sociological fields, this article constructs an original framework through which to analyse both the perpetuation and mitigation of gender biases, choosing to categorize AI technologies based on whether their input is text or images. Through the close analysis and pairing of four case studies, the paper thus unites two often disparate approaches to the investigation of bias in technology, revealing the large and varied potential for AI to echo and even amplify existing human bias, while acknowledging the important role AI itself can play in reducing or reversing these effects. The conclusion calls for further collaboration between scholars from the worlds of technology, gender studies and public policy in fully exploring algorithmic accountability as well as in accurately and transparently exploring the potential consequences of the introduction of AI technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent complexity of policy decision-making structures may prevent the interface between science and policy from functioning smoothly and evidence-based policies from actually being implemented, even when the results are understood and accepted by political leaders. Given the medium-run perspective of their research question, the main findings suggest that a combination of demand-side and supply-side fiscal policy measures might be more efficient as purely demand-side policies as the former policy mix also increases potential and not only actual output. Special issue: Evidence based policy making - selected papers of the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Austrian Economic Association. [Extracted from the article]

De Economist is calling for papers for a special issue on "Inequality in the Housing Market." The editors are seeking empirical and theoretical submissions on housing and inequality. The special issue aims to address the interactions between cyclical market developments, government policies, and housing outcomes at the macro and micro level. Topics of interest include the implications of housing for wealth inequality, neighborhood effects and inequality, social rent assistance, homeownership, financial risks in the housing market, housing markets and the growth of cities, telework, pricing in the housing market, intergenerational mechanisms of housing, and housing affordability and energy. The deadline for submission is March 31, 2024. [Extracted from the article]

In the face of complex and changeable uncertain environments, corporate resilience is the crucial foundation for survival and sustainable development, and enhancing corporate resilience becomes an important goal for governments. In this context, this paper investigates the impact of government subsidies, as a typical government tool, on corporate resilience in crises. Based on the panel data of 2315 listed companies in China Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share market during the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper finds that: (1) government subsidies received before and during the crises can both enhance corporate resilience in crises. (2) Government subsidies enhance corporate resilience by alleviating financial constraints and boosting confidence. (3) The crises improve the efficiency of subsidies used by corporates, resulting in the enhancement of subsidies received during the crises being more pronounced than those received before the crises. This paper deepens the understanding of government subsidies' roles in crises, enriches the literature on government subsidies and corporate resilience, and provides a reference for improving government subsidies policy and enhancing corporate resilience. The government should increase government subsidies to mitigate the negative impact of uncertainty shocks on corporates and improve corporates' ability to respond to risks, and pay attention to the timing of subsidies to maximize the efficiency of government subsidies at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Information and communication technology (ICT) has been proposed as a means to facilitate environmental sustainability. Dematerialisation is one potential way of doing this. For books, this could be realized through using e-book readers, which share many of the qualities of printed media and have notably low-energy requirements during use. The main aim of this study was to analyse the environmental impacts of an e-book read on an e-book reader, and to identify key issues determining the magnitude of the impact. A second aim was to compare the e-book product system with a paper book product system using a life cycle perspective. Materials and methods: A screening LCA was performed on an e-book produced and read in Sweden. The e-book reader was assumed to be produced in China. The data used were general data from Ecoinvent 2.0 and site-specific data from companies participating in the study, whenever average data were not available. Results and discussion: The results showed that production of the e-book reader was the life cycle step contributing most to the environmental impact of the system studied, although data on the e-ink screen were lacking. The disposal phase leads to avoided impact as materials are recycled; however, these results are less certain due to limited data availability. When the e-book was compared with a paper book, the results indicated that the number of books read on the e-book reader during its lifetime was crucial when evaluating its environmental performance compared with paper books. The results indicate that there are impact categories and circumstances where paper books are preferable to e-books from an environmental perspective and vice versa. Conclusions: There is no single answer as to which book is better from an environmental perspective according to the results of the current study. To improve the e-book environmental performance, an e-book reader should be used frequently, the life time of the device should be prolonged, as far as possible, and when not in use anymore, the device should be disposed of in a proper way, making material recycling possible. In addition, the production of the e-reader should be energy efficient and striving towards minimisation of toxic and rare substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trans-fatty acids (TFAs) can be produced either from bio-hydrogenation in the rumen of ruminants or by industrial hydrogenation. While most of TFAs' effects from ruminants are poorly established, there is increasing evidence that high content of industrial TFAs may cause deleterious effects on human health and life span. Material and methods: Indeed, several epidemiological and experimental studies strongly suggest that high content of most TFA isomers could represent a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by a mechanism that lowers the 'good HDL cholesterol' and raises the 'bad LDL cholesterol.' Results: With respect to the general precautionary principle and considering the existence of an international policy consensus regarding the need for public health action, some industrialized countries, such as France, are still not sufficiently involved in preventive strategies that aim to efficiently reduce TFAs content and TFAs consumption and produce alternative healthier fat sources. Conclusion: In this manuscript, we provide an overview about TFAs origins, their use and consumption among French population. We also discuss their potential human health implications as well as the preventive and regulatory measures undertaken in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics account for 80% of material waste in the ocean. The field of marine microplastic (MP) research is relatively new and growing rapidly, in terms of published papers as well as institutions and countries conducting research. To combat plastic pollution, there is sufficient evidence that policies can lead to reduced plastic production and consumption both locally and globally. We aim to understand how marine MP research and national plastic policies have individually grown and spread. Specifically, we used scientometric and spatial diffusion methods to best explain how ideas (science and policy) clustered and spread geographically through time. We performed systematic literature searches to determine the spatial and temporal growth of marine MP publications and national plastic policies from 1900–2019. We found that more countries adopted national plastic policies than those that have conducted marine MP research. At each level of analysis (publication, institution, and country levels) within each field (research and policy), the temporal growth rate had a break point where doubling time changed significantly. Marine MP research grew exponentially, where doubling times ranged 1.1–3.7 years and the topics of inquiry increased steadily. National plastic policies also grew exponentially, where doubling times ranged 3.3–4.1 years. Different diffusion methods explain spatial growth, where marine MP research spread was best explained by a hybrid of expansion and relocation diffusion while national plastic policy spread was best explained by expansion diffusion. Both marine MP research and national plastic policies continue to spread, increasing global knowledge and mitigation efforts of plastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-bribery and corruption in sport governing bodies is a little explored area in academic literature. This paper addresses the gap in the literature through expert perceptions on the current state of anti-bribery and corruption policies in international and national sport governing bodies as seen through an ethical climate theory lens. Thus, this paper addresses the question of how and why enhancing anti-bribery and corruption in sport internal controls can mitigate financial corruption and improve ethical climates. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 17 forensic accountants and anticorruption experts to garner their opinion on strengths and weaknesses of current policies in sport governing bodies and ascertain the link between anticorruption, accounting controls, and ethical climates. The transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis and the results showed a consistency of opinion with regards to the policy improvements required for a robust anti-bribery and corruption programme within sport governing bodies, with multiple implications for ethical organisational climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to examine a selection of macro- and micro-linguistic features (at text and sentence/word level respectively) of the South-African Green Paper 'National Climate Change Response' from 2010. Our overarching assumption is that the Green Paper needs to handle competing interests, beliefs and voices in a narrative structure favouring specific courses of action. How does the government portray the complex natural and societal phenomenon of climate change, and how does it take into account the many and often competing national and international views and interests which come into play? Our hypothesis is that the Green Paper constructs a narrative and that it relates to a number of voices other than that of the authors, through linguistic markers of polyphony, such as negation, sentence connectives, adverbs and reported speech. Thus we propose a narrative and polyphonic analysis of the Green Paper, at the level of the text as a whole (macro-level) but also with attention to linguistic constructions of polyphony or 'multi-voicedness' (micro-level). We find that the narrative-polyphonic properties of the Green Paper contribute to a strategy for building consensus on climate change policy. The South African government assumes the role of main hero in its own climate change 'story', and there are subtle forms of interaction with different and typically non-identified voices, such as concessive constructions and presuppositions. These results support our overarching interpretation of the whole document as striving to impose a South African consensus on the issue of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1997 the FDA published a set of regulations for the pharmaceutical industry intended to establish controls over the use of computer technology. To briefly re-call this moment in history, the Electronic Records; Electronic Signature (ERES) regulation, 21CFR11 or Part 11, was introduced to provide criteria whereby electronic records (e.g., database information) would be considered 'equivalent' to paper records. The underlying motivation was a concern that technology could potentially invalidate the truth claim of an utterance (e.g., 'this drug is effective') by 'scrambling' the context of the utterance and by potentially falsifying the name (attributability) and the date (auditability). But this regulation was based on a premise, which I will argue, was founded on a metaphysical blind spot derived both from an underestimation of the difficulties inherent in the reconstitution of events (historiography), on the one hand, as well as an overestimation of the nefarious impact of technology, on the other. As a consequence, it is no surprise that the Part 11 narrative fell prey to an onto-theology of the worse kind, and as a consequence never uncovered the true essence of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air toxics are airborne pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, including certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), prioritized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While several EPA-designated air toxics are monitored at a subset of Canadian National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) sites, Canada has no specific 'air toxics' control priorities. Although pulp and paper (P&P) mills are major industrial emitters of air pollutants, few studies quantified the spectrum of air quality exposures. Moreover, most NAPS monitoring sites are in urban centers; in contrast, rural NAPS sites are sparse with few exposure risk records. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate prioritized air toxic ambient VOC concentrations using NAPS hourly emissions data from a rural Pictou, Nova Scotia Kraft P&P town to document concentration levels, and to determine whether these concentrations correlated with wind direction at the NAPS site (located southwest of the mill). Publicly accessible Environment and Climate Change Canada data (VOC concentrations [Granton NAPS ID: 31201] and local meteorological conditions [Caribou Point]) were examined using temporal (2006-2013) and spatial analytic methods. Results revealed several VOCs (1,3-butadiene, benzene, and carbon tetrachloride) routinely exceeded EPA air toxics-associated cancer risk thresholds. 1,3-Butadiene and tetrachloroethylene were significantly higher ( p < 0.05) when prevailing wind direction blew from the northeast and the mill towards the NAPS site. Conversely, when prevailing winds originated from the southwest towards the mill, higher median VOC air toxics concentrations at the NAPS site, except carbon tetrachloride, were not observed. Despite study limitations, this is one of few investigations documenting elevated concentrations of certain VOCs air toxics to be associated with P&P emissions in a community. Findings support the need for more research on the extent to which air toxics emissions exist in P&P towns and contribute to poor health in nearby communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving exceptional financial performance is a primary goal for every management team due to its importance in establishing a solid firm structure and facilitating growth. However, several factors consistently hinder the attainment of this objective, resulting in adverse effects on a firm's performance and financial success. Therefore, this study aims to analyze scholarly publications to understand relevant factors influencing the financial performance of firms in the manufacturing industry. Using keywords in the Scopus database, we identified a total of 808 papers published between 1987 and 2022, and ultimately selected 289 for further analysis based on predetermined criteria. The selected literature was then analyzed in two different ways. First, we discerned the crucial factors affecting the financial performance of manufacturing firms. Our systematic review revealed that organizational characteristics (e.g., CSR practices, strategy, board characteristics, innovation & technology, information, decision-making and communication, and environmental and sustainability practices) play a more significant role in determining the financial performance of a firm than external factors (e.g., market economic parameters, government policies & support, and competition). Second, we employed VOSViewer software to dissect the selected publications, including the creation of bibliometric co-word maps and the examination of bibliographic coupling among journals. The results yielded valuable insights into leading nations, notable journals, noteworthy studies, trending keywords, and prominent publications in this field. Moreover, our research emphasizes the multifaceted nature of financial performance-related factors, offering useful insights for future studies exploring the interplay between factors and the performance of manufacturing firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate government policy intervention for mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This paper has utilized a methodology comprising of bibliometrics, network, and content analyses on 831 documents extracted from the Scopus database to explore the extant literature on this domain. A systematic literature review has also been performed to propose the government policy intervention during the crisis framework. The analysis and review discerned that government policy interventions yielding the greatest success display a pronounced industry focus, regardless of a country's economic context. Notably efficacious interventions encompass government support for market access and promotion, regulatory flexibility, wage subsidies, supply chain bolstering, sustainable long-term support, training and development, digitization aid, and industry-specific access to credit and capital. Collaborative efforts between governments and financial institutions also proved instrumental in expediting SME recovery. Furthermore, initiatives like knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, digitalization of SMEs, and crisis management training played pivotal roles in ensuring SME survival during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper has also provided guidelines for future research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments deal increasingly with multidimensional problems involving high levels of complexity. These so-called wicked problems, such as climate change, demand coordinated and coherent government action, as well as multi-stakeholder approaches. Boundary Organisations (BO), working at the knowledge-interface of the science–policy–society nexus may contribute substantially to both ends. This paper considers the potential contribution of the recently created Competence Centre for Planning, Policy, and Foresight of the Public Administration (PlanAPP), a Portuguese BO at the centre of government, to evidence-informed policy. To this goal, we focus on two streams of literature, Policy Coordination and Coherence (PCC) and Knowledge Governance (KG). An analytical framework with two dimensions is proposed: the first dimension considers if and how PlanAPP engages in boundary work; the second dimension looks at the activities that PlanAPP implements and their potential for PCC and KG. Our results support the idea that PlanAPP is promoting work on the knowledge-interface for public policy, with the potential to become a main player in supporting governments to address policy issues, including wicked problems, whilst potentially triggering a shift to knowledge governance in Portugal's public administration. Nevertheless, PlanAPP could further intensify boundary activities, especially by increasing civil society participation and producing shared outputs that all actors involved recognise as legitimate, increasing trust in policy and institutions. This study's methodology may be replicated to improve understanding of BOs and their contribution to policymaking in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the relationship between competitivenessand environment-friendly behaviour of producers under an economic liberalisation regime. For that purpose, it employs a probit model and estimates the influence of the prime movers of industrial growth suchas technical change and economies of scale on environmental degradation. The empirical results of the study of pulp and paper industry, identified as one of the most polluting industries in India, indicate that these variables, as the key players of competitiveness improvement, have positive influence on environment-friendly behaviour. Such findings, therefore, fail to provide support to a view that articulates ruthless exploitation of the environment under economic liberalisation programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a two-step approach to construct a multi-period double-difference model and introduces a quasi-natural experiment of the Broadband China pilot policy to investigate whether household financial market participation at the urban level is affected by the digital economy, which is significant for promoting Chinese households' shift from savings to investment and alleviating the long-standing problem of insufficient household financial market participation in China. In terms of direct impact, the digital economy increases the household financial market participation rate of urban residents by 3.26%, and increases the financial market participation rate of highly financially literate households by 2.14%; in terms of indirect impact, the development of the digital economy increases the total number of household smart Internet devices by 8.27%, and similarly increases the attention to household financial information by a significant 4.22%, which further positively influences the household financial market participation rate. This paper also evaluates the individual and regional differences of the digital economy on household financial market participation, and the estimated causal effect of the digital economy on household financial market participation is purer, which expands the scope of research on the digital economy and household financial market participation, and provides a certain reference basis and policy inspiration for the government to promote the construction of the digital economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the ethical issues associated with college instructors' use of plagiarism detection software (PDS), specifically the Turnitin program. It addresses the pros and cons of using such software in higher education, arguing that its use is justified on the basis that it increases institutional trust, and demonstrating that two common criticisms of such software are not universally valid. An analysis of the legal issues surrounding Turnitin, however, indicates that the way it is designed and operates raises some ethical issues because it denies students notice, access and choice about the treatment of their personal information. The paper concludes with a set of guidelines for instructors using Turnitin in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper delves into the intricate domain of policy science, focusing on the policy-making process itself. Existing theoretical frameworks in policy science often overlook essential nuances, particularly the role of political willingness causing non-linearity in the policy-making process. Three fundamental questions drive the research at hand. First, the research delves into the adequacy of existing policy frameworks in effectively elucidating the complexities of policymaking in the context of large democracies, with a particular focus on India. Second, it investigates the significant role of political willingness in shaping the trajectory of policymaking, particularly within democratic systems. Lastly, the research aims to construct a comprehensive framework capable of accommodating and explaining the non-linear dynamics introduced by the influence of political willingness throughout the policy-making process. Through an analysis of India's Data Protection Regulation formulation process, this paper attempts to map the existing gap and way forward. As an outcome of the case study analysis, the proposed framework introduces political willingness as a central element extending the policy formulation cycle and showcases its influence on agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. This research contributes to the field of policy science by providing a comprehensive framework that accounts for the complexities of policymaking, especially in the Indian context. By acknowledging the pivotal role of political willingness, this framework seeks to bridge the gap in existing theoretical models, offering a more holistic understanding of policy formulation and analysis. This research lays the foundation for a paradigm shift in the study of policy science, addressing the challenges posed by evolving governance mechanisms and the rising influence of political agendas in the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses why similar institutional rules (Municipal Plan, Fund, and Council) and intergovernmental transferences) may influence municipal decision-making to participate in inter-municipal consortia differently in two Brazilian federal public policies—health and education. The paper argues that the more institutionalized the national policy design, the higher the probability of the municipalities getting into IMC. Based on quantitative analysis, findings show why the financial dimension is relevant for health policy, the most institutionalized in comparison with education, regarding municipal options for IMC. Similar evidence was not found in both policies considering the effect of their institutional rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing concern about climate change necessitates the development of models for long-term measurements of the sustainability performance. The Global Reporting Initiative suggests a framework for sustainability reporting. This study intends to fill two gaps in the existing literature. On the one hand, it assesses the Global Reports Initiative's impact on academics. This article, on the other hand, will compare public policies aimed at a Global Reporting Initiative in rich and developing countries from 1999 to 2020. The above research utilizes bibliometric analysis via Biblioshiny and the Scopus publications database, as well as an online interface for Bibliometrix analysis. For studying the Global Reports Initiative literature, this method offers a viable alternative to traditional bibliometric analysis. This is one of the first studies to use a computer approach to examine the literary paths of the Global Reporting Initiative issue. Among the findings we can mention that, the most GRI inquiries were distributed by the "Journal of Cleaner Production." The most useful GRI creators are Clarkson PM., Azapagic A., and Milne MJ. The findings of this paper suggest that the composition of the GRI addresses one of the keys to global monetary advancement, particularly in developing countries, for the foreseeable future. Our paper indicates that the Global Reporting Initiative principles have a strong potential to handle these connected issues in managing and maintaining the environment by adapting developed-country experiences to developing-country challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition-age youth with foster care involvement (TAY, ages 17–22) are at heightened risk for suicidal behavior. Despite this, mental health screenings are not standardized across child welfare (CW) systems and existing assessment tools are not designed for use with this specific population. As such, TAY are unlikely to be adequately screened for suicide risk and connected with needed services. In this paper, we sought to identify screening and assessment tools that could be effective for use with TAY in CW settings. Using PubMed and PsycINFO, we conducted a search of the current literature to identify some of the most commonly used screening and assessment tools for youth. We then narrowed our focus to those tools that met predefined inclusion criteria indicating appropriateness of use for TAY in CW settings. As a result of this process, we identified one brief screening tool (the ASQ) and four assessments (the SIQ-JR, the C-SSRS, the SHBQ, and the SPS) that demonstrated specific promise for use with TAY. The strengths and limitations of the tools are discussed in detail, as well as the ways that each could be used most effectively in CW settings. We highlight three key points intended to guide social work practice and policy: (1) systematic, routine assessment of mental health and suicide risk across CW settings is critical; (2) the protocol for assessing suicidal behavior in TAY must account for the wide variations in context and service provision; and (3) CW workers administering assessments must be thoughtfully trained on risk identification and the protocol implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic was associated with a substantial increase in time spent alone. This paper uses US time-diary data to compare time spent alone in 2018–2019 with May 2020–May 2021, examining the extent to which changes in activities were associated with increases in time alone and to what extent time alone increased within activities. It also examines the association of time spent alone with pandemic severity and government policies. Increases in work at home were a substantial contributor to the increase in time spent alone, although increases in time alone at the workplace also played a role. Reallocation of leisure toward fewer social activities was another contributor. Higher state COVID rates increased time alone for single-person households, while government policies did little. There is some evidence that increases in time alone were associated with increases in activities that are substitutes for social activity, but such increases were a small proportion of the increase in time spent alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the GLocal dataset is to enable research in international development that requires both global scope and local precision. Leveraging modern geospatial analysis tools, we process a diverse array of sources to provide researchers with a growing set of economic, demographic, ecological and socio-political variables for geographic units relevant to public policy. We provide separate data files for different levels of administrative and periodic aggregation, along with ad-hoc files with more detailed information on specific topics. In this data descriptor paper, we discuss both our data processing methodologies and validation pipelines, and provide a short case study to illustrate the research potential of the dataset. We also introduce a simple web app, glocal.streamlit.app, which offers a user-friendly interface for exploring and visualizing the dataset. Given the growing number of public and granular sources of relevance for international development research, we hope to continue adding features and expand the GLocal dataset in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants estimated that there were over 33 million refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world at the beginning of 2005. IDP/Refugee communities behave in complex ways making it difficult to make policy decisions regarding the provision of humanitarian aid and health and safety. This paper reports the construction of an agent-based model that has been used to study humanitarian assistance policies executed by governments and NGOs that provide for the health and safety of refugee communities. Agent-based modeling (ABM) was chosen because the more widely used alternatives impose unrealistic restrictions and assumptions on the system being modeled and primarily apply to aggregate data. We created intelligent agents representing institutions, organizations, individuals, infrastructure, and governments and analyzed the resulting interactions and emergent behavior using a Central Composite Design of Experiments with five factors. The resulting model allows policy makers and analysts to create scenarios, to make rapid changes in parameters, and provides a test bed for concepts and strategies. Policies can be examined to see how refugee communities might respond to alternative courses of action and how these actions are likely to affect the health and well-being of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assesses the homogenous approach and policy measures towards small and medium sized enterprises (SME), adopted by the `White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment' and by national policies in Greece. Role of SME in the Greek economy; Structural characteristics of SME; European Union policy measures in favor of SME.

With only a few exceptions, U.S. copyright law does not allow copyrights for software created by the U.S. federal agencies' government-operated laboratories. This paper explains the public policy concern that the inability to copyright the software causes a barrier to the transfer of government software to the private sector. Using a survey of developers and managers of custom software developed within the federal agencies, the paper presents and interprets new evidence supporting the view that allowing copyright protection would dramatically increase the transfer of the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development is a fundamental pursuit of human society. When it comes to national governance, there are issues of imbalanced and insufficient development that must be addressed. Since 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded, the Chinese government has adopted a series of ethnic policies to resolve these development issues across ethnic minority areas. Since the late 1970s, Chinese scholars and the government have paid particular attention to the development issues of ethnic groups with smaller populations. This paper examines the relevant literature on this topic and divides China's policies on this issue into three stages: (1) initial exploration, (2) targeted assistance, and (3) specialized planning. It discusses the Chinese government's policy process and its experience empowering ethnic groups with smaller populations. The paper argues that the Chinese government's support for ethnic groups with smaller populations is guided by valid ethnic theories and a comprehensive policy system. In the implementation of policies, the government recognizes "development" as the primary objective. It then formulates, implements, and evaluates policies based on the characteristics of the different ethnic groups with smaller populations. This approach effectively addressed the problems faced by these ethnic groups during different stages of their development and achieved the intended policy goals. Therefore, these policies are practical and sustainable. They are a valuable asset, and studying them could be beneficial to any unified multi-ethnic country that wants to tackle the development issues of their ethnic minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regularly invoked but rarely defined, 'the rule of law' has over the last few decades been converted from a legal term of art into one of the most ambiguous slogans of contemporary public policy. Political scientists claim it as a crucial test of a regime's legitimacy. Economists maintain that it provides an essential foundation of a flourishing market economy. Philosophers suggest it captures the essence of the state as a moral association. Historians acknowledge that, even if they might distrust such an abstract notion, the imposition of effective inhibitions on power is an 'unqualified human good'. And lawyers, of course, have treated it as the foundation of their discipline ever since the mid-thirteenth century when Bracton asserted that 'there is no rex where will rules rather than lex'. Those who extend its usage beyond the confines of professional legal discourse commonly give it a positive valence. But the rule of law also has its detractors. These critics assert that it promotes purely formal, individualistic values at the expense of substantive justice, or that it is a smokescreen preventing us from seeing the impact of recent global developments that signal the rule of lawyers. Some anthropologists even denounce it as an imperial ideology that legitimates European conquest and the plunder of the rest of the world. But given the fact that almost every state in the world now claims to act in compliance with the rule of law, these critics seem to have done little to dent its appeal. Yet, the sheer range of views and perspectives that now exist about the meaning, purpose, and value of the rule of law considerably complicates any inquiry into its current standing. In this paper, I will try to bring some clarity to the issue by providing a sketch of the main varieties of ways in which the term is being invoked. The paper comprises five sections, which each address a specific aspect of the term's usage: (1) its coinage in English law, (2) the adoption of a superficially similar terminology in the German concept of the Rechtsstaat, (3) the jurisprudential innovations that complicate its meaning, and finally its most recent invocation (4) first in development work and (5) secondly in constitutional rejuvenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers agree on the importance of policy integration in the analysis of responses to complex problems, yet they often use this concept to indicate integrated policy programmes (IPPs) as opposed to policy integration in practice (as performed by actors). Describing how IPPs are reshaped, while they are being implemented opens new research venues in the study of the policy integration process and its effects. This article theorises the '(in)congruent implementation' of IPPs and illustrates its theoretical contribution with the case study of the local implementation of the national 'Security Decree' in the Italian cities of Bologna and Pesaro. The paper makes a theoretical contribution to the study of the political aspects of policy integration. In particular, it suggests that three factors—the misalignment of state and local policy frames, the incommensurability of different subsystems' interests, and local politicians' risk avoidance strategies—might be led to the process of reframing national integrative intentions from the bottom up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of parenting program implementation significantly affects the extent to which a program is delivered effectively as well as the likelihood of it becoming embedded in everyday services. The group based Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children (PLH-YC) program for parents of children aged 2–9 years was developed specifically for implementation in low- and middle-income contexts, has been tested in five randomized trials, and incorporates a number of strategies to encourage fidelity of delivery. This paper reports on the introduction of PLH-YC to Montenegro, including initial work to engage government agencies and service providers, adapt the program and, following initial evidence of effectiveness, implement strategies to promote effective delivery and embed the program. Following program adaptation and initial facilitator training, eight groups were run, supported with resources and supervision and independently evaluated. The successful pilot led to program training accreditation by national professional agencies and a series of steps to successfully further embed it into routine settings in Montenegro, including by recognizing the program in national policy documents. This led to further facilitator trainings, now numbering 97 facilitators and the certification of ten coaches and two trainers. By the end of 2023, 1278 parents, across 13 municipalities (half of all municipalities in Montenegro) and a range of service providers, have received the program. The paper describes the project phases and key fidelity components that underpinned the successful introduction and embedding of the program in Montenegro. The plan has resulted in Montenegro having its own domestic resources to continue to implement the program effectively and further plan for widespread dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rare diseases pose immense challenges for healthcare systems due to their low prevalence, associated disabilities, and attendant treatment costs. Advancements in gene therapy, such as treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), have introduced novel therapeutic options, but the high costs, exemplified by Zolgensma® at US$2.1 million, present significant financial barriers. This scoping review aimed to compare the funding approaches for rare disease treatments across high-performing health systems in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), aiming to identify best practices and areas for future research. Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley and ensuing recommendations, a comprehensive search of electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane) and grey literature from health department websites and leading national organizations dedicated to rare diseases in these countries was conducted. Countries selected for comparison were high-income countries with advanced economies and high-performing health systems: Australia, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and the US. The inclusion criteria focused on studies detailing drug approval processes, reimbursement decisions and funding mechanisms, and published from 2010 to 2024. Results: Based on a thorough review of 18 published papers and grey literature, various strategies are employed by countries to balance budgetary constraints and access to rare disease treatments. Australia utilizes the Life Saving Drugs Program and risk-sharing agreements. Singapore depends on the Rare Disease Fund, which matches public donations. South Korea's National Health Insurance Service covers specific orphan drugs through risk-sharing agreements. The UK relies on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to evaluate treatments for cost-effectiveness, supported by the Innovative Medicines Fund. In the US, a combination of federal and state programs, private insurance and non-profit support is used. Conclusion: Outcome-based risk-sharing agreements present a practical solution for managing the financial strain of costly treatments. These agreements tie payment to actual treatment efficacy, thereby distributing financial risk and promoting ongoing data collection. Countries should consider adopting and expanding these agreements to balance immediate expenses with long-term benefits, ultimately ensuring equitable access to crucial treatments for patients afflicted by rare diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern democratic states are increasingly adopting new information and communication technologies to enhance the efficiency and quality of public administration, public policy and services. However, there is substantial variation in the extent to which countries are successful in pursuing such public digitalization. This paper zooms in on the role of social trust as a possible account for the observed empirical pattern in the range and scope of public digitalization across countries. Our argument is that high social trust makes it easier to digitalize the public sector to the benefit of overall society. We develop a simple game-theoretical model that specifies this positive externality from a high-trust culture and provide empirical evidence that a higher level of social trust is associated with a higher level of public digitalization. Of course, high-trust countries cannot do without the rule of law (formal rules of the game) and some institutionalized mechanisms of control and accountability. However, from our argument, it follows that one future challenge could be that control crowds out trust, so that the balance is no longer optimal. If such overcontrol occurs, public digitalization win–win situations between citizens and government can be undermined, even in high-trust countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promises and risks of Artificial Intelligence permeate current policy statements and have attracted much attention by AI governance research. However, most analyses focus exclusively on AI policy on the national and international level, overlooking existing federal governance structures. This is surprising because AI is connected to many policy areas, where the competences are already distributed between the national and subnational level, such as research or economic policy. Addressing this gap, this paper argues that more attention should be dedicated to subnational efforts to shape AI and asks which themes are discussed in subnational AI policy documents with a case study of Germany's 16 states. Our qualitative analysis of 34 AI policy documents issued on the subnational level demonstrates that subnational efforts focus on knowledge transfer between research and industry actors, the commercialization of AI, different economic identities of the German states, and the incorporation of ethical principles. Because federal states play an active role in AI policy, analysing AI as a policy issue on different levels of government is necessary and will contribute to a better understanding of the developments and implementations of AI strategies in different national contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world is reopening from the unprecedented global pandemic, investigating how the intensity of transmission and responsive policies affect passenger air traffic demand is valuable for the aviation industry recovery and post-pandemic economic development. This paper investigates the effects of confirmed COVID-19 cases and state government policies at 28 hub airports in the United States from March 2020 to September 2021 by proposing an origin-destination (OD) spatial temporal econometric model. The investigation finds that (1) confirmed COVID-19 cases and state government policies had the highest effects on air traffic in the same month as these events occurred and the effects were diminishing in the following months; (2) The policy of internal movement restrictions in a given state generated a higher impact for trips arriving at this state, while confirmed COVID-19 cases and the testing policy generated a higher impact for trips departing from this state; (3) Reopening offices, lifting movement restrictions, maintaining flexibility in accessing COVID-19 tests, and using facial covering onboard are effective policies for aviation industry recovery. This paper aims to be a timely study on air travel demand when the domestic traffic has almost achieved the pre-pandemic level, offering insights into recovery of the aviation industry and preparation for future uncertainties. In addition, the proposed OD spatial temporal model which captures OD spatial dependences and temporal correlations simultaneously can equip spatial economists with an innovative and powerful tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What would it truly mean to treat individuals "as real people" when designing public policies? This paper addresses this question by critically assessing the arguments put forth by Mario Rizzo and Glen Whitman's Escaping Paternalism: Rationality, Behavioral Economics, and Public Policy (2019). Rizzo and Whitman argue that the endeavor of Behavioral Economics to reintroduce psychology into economics and to critique the narrow concept of homo economicus used by neoclassical economics was commendable. However, Behavioral Economics failed to deliver the theoretical breakaway from Neoclassical Economics that it promised. They argue that while Behavioral Economics rejects neoclassical rationality descriptively, it still adheres to it normatively, a move the authors find unjustified. The authors critique libertarian paternalism, a normative branch of Behavioral Economics, for its narrow concept of rationality, emphasizing the ambiguity in determining decision failures and true preferences. Moreover, even when it is apparent that agents are behaving erroneously, implementing policy measures to rectify the situation would be an almost impossible task or, in a worst-case scenario, could have unintended negative consequences. Overall, the book excels in scrutinizing the methodological foundations of libertarian paternalism. Building on their critique, in the final chapter of the book, the authors endeavor to outline their vision for the future of behavioral public policy. They advocate for treating humans as intricate beings rather than mere marionettes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study introduces the Five-Year Plan as an assignable Chinese experience for attaining comprehensive development to provide policy reference for goal-based development related to sustainability. Before illustrating a dynamic localized implementation path of merging the UN Development Strategy and China's national planning policies, the paper uses quantitative comparative analysis to depict an overview of this dynamic. Two key features, goal integration and development efficiency, were then built to characterize China's multidimensional development goal implementation capacity. Then, we implemented a high-dimensional fixed-effects model to examine how different stages of development impacted the likelihood of achieving our goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nonlinear effects of public debt on economic growth in Asian developing economies through the application of panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) regressions and panel vector autoregression (VAR) models. Our analysis reveals a statistically significant nonlinear (i.e., an inverted U-shape) relationship between public debt (as a percentage of GDP) and GDP per capita growth. The turning points are identified at 52 percent for all Asian developing economies and 50 percent for Asian coastal developing economies. Asymmetric mutual feedback effects are observed between economic growth and public debt, contingent on the level of public debt. These two-way effects are both statistically significant and more pronounced when public debt surpasses its threshold level. Additionally, our results unveil geographical (cross-country) heterogeneity in the mutual feedback effects. These findings carry significant policy implications, emphasizing the necessity of employing region-specific debt threshold levels and asymmetric response coefficients in the analysis of public debt policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research considers advertising and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a supply chain. The supply chain composed of a retailer and a manufacturer is considered. It is assumed that the manufacturer chooses one of two strategies: the manufacturer is only concerned with its profit, and the manufacturer is concerned with society's satisfaction level in addition to its profit. Accordingly, in the second strategy, the manufacturer has a utility consisting of profit and consumer satisfaction. Concerning the manufacturer over consumers, satisfaction is assumed as the CSR concern. Therefore, in this study, a measure for determining the satisfaction level in society is developed for the first time. Moreover, we assume that the manufacturer could have environmental transparency in advertising when facing its customers. Hence, it is considered that the demand function is sensitive to advertising transparency. The effect of advertising transparency on the demand function is also considered in this paper. In addition, we assume that the supply chain members are rivals and tend to determine their equilibrium decision variables to earn the maximum profit or utility. At last, based upon the equilibrium values of variables, some analysis and managerial insights are proposed. For instance, when the manufacturer is concerned with CSR, the equilibrium advertising, demand, and the profit of the retailer are higher and the wholesale and retail prices are lower than when he is not concerned about CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bright ICT research involves taking a holistic view at the design of ICT enabled future society (Lee, [8]; Lee et al., [9]). Opportunities for Future Research Taken together, the papers in this special issue contribute to the literature on the unintended use of ICT and provide insights for practice. The accepted papers contribute to our understanding of the threats of ICT adoption by organizations and individuals. [Extracted from the article]

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a well-acknowledged central economic and diplomatic policy of the Chinese government, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013. This paper intends to discover the relationship between the public diplomacy narratives of the BRI and its implementation. By using content analysis, this paper analyzes Chinese President Xi's speeches from 2013 to 2020 about the BRI, as well as official statements of the Chinese central government. It identifies the public diplomacy narratives of the BRI: an assemblage of constantly changing policy settings that accommodates various economic and political interests. Also, this paper draws on differences between countries joining the BRI or not, and several case studies to elucidate the implementation of the BRI. Different from repetitive literature that explores either the BRI narratives or its implementation, this paper contributes by combining and comparing the two. Despite positive interpretations of the BRI the Chinese government has adopted, the paper argues that there are no deceptive tricks with skeletons in the closet of the Chinese government, as the BRI public diplomacy narratives are, in general, consistent with its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decades, migration policies in Western societies have grown stricter by the day. As part of this retrenchment, migrants are required to pass language tests to gain access to human and democratic rights such as residency, family reunification, and citizenship, as well as to enter the labour market or higher education. The use of language tests to control migration and integration is not value neutral. The question discussed in this paper is whether those who develop language tests should strive to remain neutral, or, on the contrary, whether they have a moral and professional responsibility to take action when their tests are misused. In this paper, a case is made for the latter: arguing along the lines of critical language testing, we encourage professional language testers to take on a more active role in order to prevent harmful consequences of their tests. The paper introduces the concept language test activism (LTA) to underscore the importance of scholars taking a more active role for social justice, following the pathway of proponents of intellectual activism in related fields like sociology and linguistics. We argue that language testers have a special responsibility for justice and consequences, as these are integrated in the very concept of validity upon which modern language testing is based. A model of language test activism is presented and illustrated by real-life examples of language test activism in Norway and Italy showing that language test activism may need to take on different forms to be successful, depending on the context in which it takes place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the cycles in corporate investments around national elections in Pakistan from 2000 to 2016. It employed the investment-Q model as the baseline specification with firm fixed effects. Results revealed that during election years, firms tend to reduce investment expenditures as compared to a period having no election after controlling for firm characteristics and economic condition. The study also witnessed pre-election manipulation and the presence of the political business cycle in Pakistan in the period leading up to the national election. This study witnessed variations in the impact of political uncertainty across elections and found more pronounced investment cycle for close contested elections. It also revealed negative changes in investments around national elections for market-friendly and lagged investments; however, results of sensitive industries were insignificant for Pakistan. Furthermore, empirical findings reveal that cashflows levels are consistent with the cautionary effect predicted by the real options theory which proposes that firms hold more cash in the period of high political uncertainty and wait until the uncertainty regarding political uncertainty is resolved. The results of this paper suggest that there should be a consensus between political parties on key economic policies so that even with the change of government; the key policies should remain the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the incomes of a particular household member can lead to changes in their decision-making power within the household affecting several outcomes. This paper estimates the effects of the PANES program (Plan de Atención Nacional a la Emergencia Social), a cash transfer program focused on low-income households of Uruguay between 2005 and 2007, on four different outcomes: the probability of divorce, changes in household size, distribution of household chores, and the probability of women becoming heads of household. My identification strategy exploits the discontinuity in the program assignment of beneficiaries resulting from a continuous pre-treatment eligibility score. The program increased the probability of maintaining the same marital status and the stability of the household size. These results persist once beneficiaries stop receiving benefits, at least in the short term. No effects were found in the likelihood of performing household chores when considering all beneficiaries, but heterogeneous effects were observed depending on their gender. Despite women being the primary recipients of the program, no impacts were found on their probability of being heads of households. This paper shows how public policies can affect the private lives of program recipients on outcomes beyond the policy objectives. In particular, cash transfers and conditionalities can affect gender equality and the distribution of household chores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a widespread, transnational issue in the European Union (EU). Member states act as source, transit, and destination countries for intra-EU trafficking, in addition to being a major destination region for external THB victims. This study presents a new dataset of THB victims observed in each EU member state per year and by type of exploitation going back as far as 2001 and employs exact matching methods to test the link between different prostitution policies and Roma secondary education attainment rates on observed THB victimization. The paper also builds off previous literature to compare how different legal prostitution models and THB supply factors are expected to influence various types of THB. The results indicate that legalized prostitution and lower educational attainment among the Roma community increase observed THB victimization, especially THB for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The paper does not find that the Swedish model significantly increases or decreases observed THB victimization. In demonstrating how matching methods can be utilized to uncover policy patterns in THB outcomes, this study provides a blueprint for how other hidden phenomena, such as corruption or migration, can be robustly and empirically tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the impact a Russian amended law concerning state secrets is having on science publishing by Russian scientists. It states President Vladimir Putin used a decree in May 2015 expanding the scope of a law requiring scientists get permission from the Federal Security Service prior to publishing results which could have industrial or military applications. It reports Russian universities are requiring scientists seek approval to the publication of any findings without exception.

Scholars have used varying terminology for describing non-state entities seeking to influence public policy or work with the EU's institutions. This paper argues that the use of this terminology is not and should not be random, as different 'frames' come with different normative visions about the role(s) of these entities in EU democracy. A novel bibliometric analysis of 780 academic publications between 1992 and 2020 reveals that three frames stand out: The interest group frame, the NGO frame, as well as the civil society organisation frame; a number of publications also use multiple frames. This article reveals the specific democratic visions contained in these frames, including a pluralist view for interest groups; a governance view for NGOs as 'third sector' organisations, and participatory and deliberative democracy contributions for civil society organisations. The use of these frames has dynamically changed over time, with 'interest groups' on the rise. The results demonstrate the shifting focus of studies on non-state actors in the EU and consolidation within the sub-field; the original visions of European policy-makers emerging from the 2001 White Paper on governance may only partially come true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]