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This study aims to develop evidence-based policies and infrastructure for diverse Hajj pilgrim needs, aligning with SDGs. Hajj, Islam's fifth pillar, is mandatory for physically, socially, and spiritually capable Muslims, despite ranking the last. Among Indonesians, completing the Hajj holds profound significance. To support the pilgrimage, the government, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, has established the Integrated Hajj Information System for Saudi Arabia pilgrim coordination. However, the system hasn't fully accommodated people with disabilities (PwDs), a significantly growing number, and primarily aged pilgrims with health issues. Thus, the Indonesian government must endorse tailored provisions, infrastructure, and services respecting PwDs' human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which TQM has influenced the legal system in Australia, an area seldom investigated in the quality or legal literature. Design/methodology/approach: Documentary and policy analysis of legislation, rules and rulemaking documentation based on a partial application of historical-policy analysis (HPA). Textual analysis was based on Dean and Bowen's (1994) definition of TQM and Vinni's (2007) review of new public management and Swiss (1992) "reformed TQM" concepts. Findings: Australia's Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act of 2011 and supporting legal documents such as Guidance Notes include language reflective of TQM principles, providing evidence that present-day administrative law schemes include TQM practices and tools to undergird procedures of regulatory expectations (sometimes in the form of standards), monitoring and general operations. Oftentimes, it is the supporting legal documentation where TQM practices are found and operationalized. Research limitations/implications: This is a proof-of-concept research study to determine the feasibility to identify TQM concepts within the existing language of legal statutes and supporting regulatory documentation. As such this study worked out the preliminary research challenges in performing this type of analysis. Practical implications: Understanding TQM's impact on legal systems expands the system's perspective of organizations that do not always factor in the influence government policy has on organizational behaviours and outlooks. More specifically, understanding TQM's influence sheds insight on regulatory requirements imposed on a sector and the normative aspects of regulatory compliance that impact the operations and strategic planning of organizations. Social implications: The article provides an example of how legal administrative rulemaking influences organizational operational and strategic activities to remain viable in the organization's business or industrial sector. Originality/value: There are few research papers or literature reviews pertaining to the subject of TQM concepts embedded in laws and regulations, most of which date from the 1980s through early 2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-access policies for coastal recreation areas in France can negatively impact landscape quality and lead to crowding. Our main objective is to simulate the effects of using public policies to regulate access to these sites. We estimate a repeated random utility model to explain the choice of participating and visiting coastal sites with a congestion variable. Since congestion is a result of a Nash equilibrium and is likely to be endogenous, an instrumental variable approach is used to both estimate congestion at the visitation equilibrium and control for its endogeneity. We use data from a survey of visitors to 43 coastal sites in western France (Brittany). When congestion is instrumented, it becomes a deterrent attribute in the choice of visiting a coastal area. We then simulate alternative access management policies and find that a mix of parking fees and increased walking distances at site entrances have the greatest effect on reducing congestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender-Based Violence Against Women Alert comprises a series of processes that, when viewed superficially, may cause it to be identified as a public policy. However, the way it has been designed and implemented also sometimes makes it considered as a policy instrument. The objective of this article is to identify the characteristics of the Alert of Gender Violence Against Women so that in the future it can be analyzed and studied from the perspective of public policy instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported on here was intended to reveal the existence and direction of education democracy in Indonesia with regard to the regulations, the implementation models, problems, and future prospects. The data were obtained from various written materials of official government policy records, namely, laws, ministerial regulations, curriculum implementation guidebooks, discourses and policy criticisms on the implementation of education democracy in Indonesia published in mass media, articles and research journals. The data were analysed using philosophical-dialogical analysis. The findings indicate that in terms of practice, the regulations related to education democracy in the form of education autonomy still could not be implemented properly because of several constraints such as a lack of teachers' professionalism, poor and less effective management of education and learning systems which are not in line with the administrative prerequisites and principles and spirit of education autonomy. Moreover, through its policies, the government still controlled education nationally resulting in autonomy that should provide maximum freedom to the community to manage education is being eroded, which limits the autonomy of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a systematic literature review of research articles (N = 72) to study the governance logic of integrated activation policies and the problems relating to reintegrating welfare benefits with services. The inductive study of the problems indicated in the literature demonstrates both the vertical and horizontal aspects of the governance of integrated activation at the street level: challenges are tied to the top‐down activation policy; requirements and strategies of delivering benefits and services; collaboration and coordination in delivery chains; and risks and inequality that streel‐level bureaucrats are trying to deal with in their work. The results point primarily to flaws in the vertical governance of activation, such as frontline work problems and collaborative practices between different actors and agencies. Moreover, some problems relating to collaboration and coordination, pointed towards the challenges in horizontal governance of activation. The article, however, demonstrates how the governance of integrated activation requires a coupling of these different streams of governance and understanding governance as a complex network of interdependencies and causal connections between institutions, organisations, and co‐production with end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the consequences of limiting executive pay on voluntary executive turnover by exploiting a Chinese government policy restricting executive pay at a subset of firms. Affected firms experience an increase in voluntary executive turnover, with executives increasingly moving to firms not bound by the pay policy. Executives that leave are of higher quality as suggested by their stronger stock and accounting performance in the year prior to the turnover. Affected firms suffer firm value losses, especially when talented executives leave. Our findings demonstrate the importance of compensation contracts in retaining executives and suggest a need for regulatory caution, since mandated constraints aimed at trying to "fix" executive pay can hurt firm value and ultimately, hurt shareholders. This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting. Funding: S. Silveri acknowledges research support in the form of a summer research grant from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis. This research support does not imply endorsement of the research results by either Fogelman College or the University of Memphis. K. Wang is grateful for the financial support provided by the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program and the research project of the Institute for State-Owned Enterprises, Tsinghua University. L. Zhao is grateful for the financial support provided by the Asia Research Center in Nankai University [Project AS2206]. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4812. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been argued that cost‐effectiveness analysis of branded pharmaceuticals only considers static efficiency, neglects dynamic effects and undermines incentives for socially valuable innovation. We present a framework for designing pharmaceutical pricing policy to achieve dynamic efficiency. We develop a coherent framework that identifies the long‐term static and dynamic benefits and costs of offering manufacturers different levels of reward. The share of value that would maximise long‐term population health depends on how the quantity and quality of innovation responds to payment. Using evidence of the response of innovation to payment, the optimal share of value of new pharmaceuticals to offer to manufacturers is roughly 20% (range: 6%–51%). Reanalysis of a sample of NICE technology appraisals suggests that, in most cases, the share of value offered to manufacturers and the price premium paid by the English NHS were too high. In the UK, application of optimal shares would offer considerable benefits under both a public health objective and a broader view of social welfare. We illustrate how an optimal share of value can be delivered through a range of payment mechanisms including indirect price regulation via the use of different approval norms by an HTA body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented number of product recalls in recent years and subsequent low consumer recall compliance raise questions about the role of regulatory agencies in ensuring safety. In this study, the authors develop a conceptual framework to test the impact of a regulator-initiated digital marketing campaign (DMC) on consumer recall compliance. The empirical context is the launch of a nationwide DMC by the U.S. automobile industry's regulator. The analysis utilizes recall completion data from 296 product recalls active both before and after the DMC's launch. The results show that the DMC improves consumer recall compliance. In the first four quarters after it was introduced, the DMC increased the number of vehicles fixed, on average, by 20,712 per recall campaign over what would be expected without the DMC. Regarding boundary conditions, the study finds that the DMC is more effective for recall campaigns with greater media coverage and for those with older recalled products. However, the DMC's effect weakens as the time needed to repair a defective component increases. The findings should help regulators make compelling cases for greater resource allocation toward digital initiatives to improve recall compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Review of Public Law is the property of European Public Law Organization and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: This narrative review considers traditional strategies for regulating alcohol marketing and their applicability to digital media. Method: Drawing on international research, case studies, and reports, we examine the applicability of (1) comprehensive or partial bans; (2) placement restrictions; (3) content restrictions; and (4) counter-advertising. Results: Comprehensive bans on advertising are generally the most effective option. A partial ban applying to digital media would make some lesser contribution to reducing exposure, but will usually simply result in the promotional budget being shifted to whichever media remain less strictly regulated. Limits on the placement of marketing have more salience for traditional media than for most digital media, which can be individualized and targeted. Content restrictions play a limited role in reducing exposure as they are not concerned with marketing volume, but with the way in which alcohol is represented. Conclusions: Although these traditional strategies have a role in regulating digital media and are applied in certain international jurisdictions, new regulatory approaches are needed. These may include the use of artificial intelligence for monitoring, transparency requirements, and privacy law rights and duties. Opportunities to regulate alcohol marketing online will need to be addressed and seized as they arise in the current volatile policy environment concerning the governance of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, there is no consensus on the effects of regulation on economic growth. In this document, we analyze the relationship between regulation and economic growth for Colombia, using data on the accumulation of regulation and real GDP during the 1991-2019 period for nine large productive sectors of the Colombian economy. Different models are estimated using time series and panel data techniques to present evidence at the economic sector level. The results show that, for some sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, electricity, gas and water, commerce, restaurants and hotels, financial and business services and community, social and personal services, there exists an inverted U relationship between regulatory accumulation and GDP. These results offer important lessons for those responsible for the design and formulation of public policies on matters of regulatory improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Prolegómenos Derechos y Valores is the property of Prolegomenos Derechos y Valores and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Environmental development in Indonesia refers to long-term sustainable challenges in which the environment is continually preserved for the benefit of current and future generations. However, the economic growth, which is supposed to benefit citizens, has an influence on environmental degradation because it affects changes in natural and environmental situations. Changes in natural conditions and the environment must be regulated by law so that they may be used for the benefit of citizens without harming the environment and can be enjoyed and handed on to future generations. This article used normative legal research on Environmental Protection and Management Law No. 32/2009. It relates to legal guarantees from the government for environmental protection, especially the prevention of environmental damage due to massive exploitation of natural resources in Indonesia. The research method used a descriptive approach by analyzing and explaining what is inside the books, journals, or the opinions of environmental experts. The results showed that excessive use of natural resources to pursue development for the welfare of society may damage the environment and the efforts made by the government in handling the environmental damage with sustainable development policies are the best solution in managing the environment in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of the Arab countries have high records of daily tobacco smoking. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has exponentially increased in the past decade in Arab countries. Consumers' willingness to quit smoking traditional cigarettes and their perception of e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes have increased the demand for these devices. This narrative review aimed to gather and discuss the available literature on the awareness, prevalence, and sales regulations of e-cigarettes in Arab countries. A search was conducted on electronic databases such as PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar with no time limits until the end of 2021. Some of the recent studies (2019-2021) considered in this review have reported that more than 25% of participants were e-cigarettes users. The prevalence of e-cigarettes has increased drastically with raised awareness of e-cigarettes among the population in these Arab countries. Most of the users of e-cigarettes are young males. In addition, an increase in e-cigarettes use has been reported in females. The policies which regulate trade and sale of e-cigarettes and related products were issued in only three Arab countries. In contrast, regulations for the trade and sale of traditional cigarette products are also applied in some countries to e-cigarette products, banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and/or amend smoke-free laws to restrict public use of e-cigarettes. There is a need for a concerted effort to assess the prevalence and significant rise of e-cigarettes consumption in Arab societies to help implement and improve harm reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the impact of depression treatment on economic behavior in Karnataka, India. We cross-randomized pharmacotherapy and livelihoods assistance among 1000 depressed adults and evaluated impacts on depression severity, socioeconomic outcomes, and several potential pathways over 26 months. The pharmacotherapy treatments reduce depression severity, with benefits that persist after treatment concludes. They substantially increase child human capital investment, particularly for older children, and reduce risk intolerance and the incidence of negative shocks. These findings suggest two pathways through which depression may perpetuate poverty.

This document is an editorial published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. The purpose of the editorial is to evaluate the quality of contemporary marine science and its influence on regulation and government policy in the marine environment. The authors express concern about whether the most appropriate science is being used to guide regulation and policy effectively. The editorial discusses various papers that cover topics such as offshore renewables, marine archaeology, fisheries, and ballast-water treatment, highlighting the need for updated policies and regulations based on rigorous and evidence-based scientific research. The authors emphasize the important role that marine science plays in informing and guiding marine policy and practice for sustainable development and management. [Extracted from the article]

In this article, various examples of controversies in regulatory science are analyzed concerning chemical and pharmaceutical products and functional foods. In these controversies, it is possible to show the relationship between epistemic policies and regulatory objectives (decision‐making objectives). From an analysis of this relationship, four points must be noted that can be extrapolated to current evidence‐based policy proposals: (1) The regulatory objectives determine the evidence hierarchies. (2) Evidence hierarchies determine the appropriate scientific methodology and, by extension, the scientific knowledge that will be generated. (3) The use of scientific knowledge in the formulation of public policies is an example of extrapolation, and such cases should be viewed as hypotheses whose testing requires evidence from different lines of research. (4) The suitability of a particular evidentiary hierarchy depends on what is at stake; that is, on an assessment of the gains and losses to which the policy or regulation based on such an evidentiary requirement may lead. Related Articles: Nunes Silva, Carlos. 2012. "Policy and Evidence in a Partisan Age: The Great Disconnect—By Paul Gary Wyckoff." Politics & Policy 40(3): 541–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2012.00363.x. Sinclair, Thomas A. P. 2006. "Previewing Policy Sciences: Multiple Lenses and Segmented Visions." Politics & Policy 34(3): 481–504. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2006.00025.x. Smith‐Walter, Aaron, Holly L. Peterson, Michael D. Jones, and Ashley Nicole Reynolds Marshall. 2016. "Gun Stories: How Evidence Shapes Firearm Policy in the United States." Politics & Policy 44(6): 1053–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12187. Lemire, Sebastian, Laura R. Peck and Allan Porowski. 2023. "The Evolution of Systematic Evidence Reviews: Past and Future Developments and Their Implications For Policy Analysis." Politics & Policy 00(0): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12532. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Several governments have enforced a series of actions to improve the local food environment and reduce obesity-related diseases in the population by implementing statutory regulations to reduce or ban the marketing of products that are considered unhealthy based on nutrient profile systems or them being high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS); (2) Objective: This narrative review is aiming to provide a comprehensive exploration of the available evidence on the impact of identified mandatory regulations restricting food marketing, including advertisements and packages on the exposure and purchase of HFSS food products, to help justify the need for these regulations; (3) Methods: Articles were retrieved by searching electronic databases, including EBSCO Education, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2012 up to December 2022; (4) Results: A total of 12 articles were included in this review. Almost all mandatory food-marketing regulations have evidence in favor of reducing HFSS food purchases and exposure; (5) Conclusions: Protecting children and adolescents from food and beverage marketing through mandatory regulations is a crucial step toward tackling global childhood and adolescent obesity and securing a healthier environment for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'regulatory state' has prevailed in almost every sector of European public policy. The provision of security, however, is still widely viewed as the domain of the 'positive state', which rests on political authority and autonomous capacities. Challenging this presumption, we argue that expertise – as foundation of authority – and rules – as policy instruments – also shape the provision of European security by national and, in particular, supranational 'regulatory security states', namely the European Union (EU). We lay out a framework for mapping the uneven and contested rise of European regulatory security states; analyzing drivers and constraints of security state reforms; and grasping the implications of the regulatory security state for the effectiveness and democratic legitimacy of European security policy-making. We advance the research program on the regulatory state and contribute to an innovative understanding of who governs security in Europe's multi-level polity, by what means, and on what legitimatory grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While being celebrated as the ideal of inclusiveness, cities also constitute the place of different types of discrimination, which some public policies intend to tackle. The “urban” has also been pointed out as the locus where vice and lust con‐ centrate, leading public policies to develop regulations for public space aiming to maintain the social order of the city. This, in turn, contributes to the definition of the contours of urban moral economies, which are continuously shaped by processes of in/exclusion. Hence, crucial is the need to further explore how cities can be welcoming to their dwellers and newcomers, as well as the role public policies (have to) play in the vision of the future of an open and inclusive city. In so doing, social work is certainly called upon to play a major role based on its historical presence in cities and its know‐how in accompanying transitions. How does social work contribute to the definition of an inclusive city? By presenting new and original research that draws on various case studies as well as theoretical reflections across disciplines, this thematic issue aims to provide answers to this question to better understand the role of social work in the shaping of an open and inclusive city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women is a problem worldwide, with economic costs ranging from 1-4% of global GDP. Using variation in the intensity of government-mandated lockdowns in India, we show that domestic violence complaints increase 0.47 SD in districts with the strictest lockdown rules. We find similarly large increases in cybercrime complaints. Interestingly, rape and sexual assault complaints decrease 0.4 SD during the same period in districts with the strictest lockdowns, consistent with decreased female mobility in public spaces, public transport, and workplaces. Attitudes toward domestic violence play an important role in the reporting and incidence of domestic violence during the lockdown.

Environmental protection efforts commonly make use of two types of government interventions: command and control policies (C&C) and market-based instruments (MBIs). While MBIs are favored for their economic efficiency, visible prices on pollution may generate political backlash. We examine whether citizens are more likely to support policies that tend to obfuscate policy costs (C&C), as opposed to MBIs, which impose visible costs. Using conjoint experiments in Beijing and New Delhi, we examine support for 'policy bundles', including both C&C policies and MBIs, aimed at limiting air pollution from vehicles. In both cities, increasing fuel taxes (a MBI) reduces policy support. However, pledging revenue usage from fuel taxes to subsidize electric cars or public transport eliminates this negative effect. Furthermore, individuals with a lower evaluation of their government respond more negatively to MBIs. MBIs may be economically efficient, but are politically difficult unless policy-makers can offset visible costs through additional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some policy scholars insist that any policy change is difficult to achieve, while others argue that large change occurs more frequently than we imagine. The work of Baumgartner and Jones reconciles these arguments, suggesting that the extent to which large public policy changes can take place depends on the ability of decision makers to conduct wide-ranging and varied information searches. The more open policy makers are to a diversity of information, the more likely it is that profound change will occur. Given human limitations in cognitive capacity, policy makers cannot simultaneously undertake multiple broad information searches. At any given time, however, such searches occur on a small number of policy topics, and produce significant changes on those topics, while the status quo prevails on the others. As important as this hypothesis is for policy studies, it has not been the object of significant empirical testing, especially outside the US Congress. This article fills this gap through a comprehensive analysis of Canadian federal government regulatory change from 1998 to 2019. We find that Baumgartner and Jones theory is largely corroborated in the Canadian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the evolution of public policy for cultural and creative industries in the context of building India as a digital nation. How has the rise of digital industries in the building of the country permeated policies related to cultural industries, and what have been the consequences of this trend? It will also explore the tensions regarding the evolution of the role of the State in shaping and regulating such industries in the broader context of culture being increasingly associated with national identity. This article starts by showing that in a context where cultural policies remain centered on heritage, the support to culture by the state has remained limited, both in financial terms as well as regarding the implementation of specific regulations which would require protection from traditional market forces. Then, it analyzes several action plans that have been developed as part of the Digital India government initiative and assesses emerging issues for the cultural and creative industries, which are increasingly associated with the functioning of digital devices and operators. Finally, it discussed recent modalities of state intervention through the transfer of the role of cultural operator to digital platforms and the attempts to control expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main features of autonomous control systems is solving complicated optimization problems without human intervention in the presence of uncertainty in real time. Autonomous systems (ASs) must have the recognition and discretion potency, evaluation and estimate authority, and decision-making power to independently perform various tasks in a dynamic environment. These systems have a variety of sensors to understand environmental information so that they can distinguish, evaluate, and make decisions based on them. In addition to an autonomous single-agent system, the AS can be designed in the form of multiagents to identify high-risk, hazardous, or inaccessible areas ,. Robotics and AS fields have led to significant advances in a wide range of areas, including unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned maritime vehicles (UMVs), artificial intelligence (AI), and self-learning machines. Navigation , , 3-D path following for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), AUVs for oceanographic research , and rescue robots have benefited from the development of autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the nexus between asset returns volatility in six major segments of Indian financial markets (viz. money, equity, gsec, forex, equity and banking stocks) and macro-economic shocks (viz. GDP, Inflation, Current Account Deficit, market capitalisation to GDP ratio, US Treasury Yield and Foreign Portfolio Investment). The period of study is from April 2002 to March 2021, a period covering four instances of significant economic and financial market stress. Findings of the study are generally aligned to economic theory, except for the case of gsec market. Besides, macro-variables were found to be exerting greater impact when they are in their weaker/unstable state and the behaviour of US treasury yield and FPI flows were found be more significant factors during stress periods and recovery immediately thereafter. Therefore, there is a need to focus on maintaining macroeconomic stability as a policy to foster financial market stability. Besides, there is a need to monitor a customized and dynamic list of macroeconomic variables in respect of each of the financial market segments to decide on the timing, type and quantum of policy and regulatory responses from time to time. This study contributed towards financial markets public policy, particularly during periods of uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is open pyre cremation and ash dispersion in running water the universal default disposal for Hindus? Images of open pyre cremation and ash dispersion at the banks of the river Ganges still perpetuate our popular Orientalist perceptions of Hindu disposal; an ancient, exotic and unchanging traditional practice. However, such perceptions obscure the empirical reality. Hindu funeral practice in South Asia as well as in diaspora, have been in constant flux, regulated and changing greatly during the last century. Inhumation has been a major alternative to cremation for Hindus in South Asia and in diaspora during the last century. In this paper, I highlight a few novel examples of recent establishment of Hindu urn burial sections within municipal cemeteries in Norway. These cases show a continuation of traditional Hindu funeral practice in South Asia, as well as change and innovation adopted in Norway. However, none of the 300 urn graves within the two established Hindu cemetery sections in Norway have been utilised so far. What are the underlying factors for Hindu urn burial which renders the option non-compliance? Why do the majority of Hindus in Norway continue to opt for dispersion of ashes in their land of origin or in Norway? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco's Competition Council has undergone major reform since 2011. New legislation has elevated the Council from its former role as a consultative authority to an independent, financially autonomous, decision-making authority. Despite these changes, however, many questions have been raised with regard to the Council's independence, and its duty to monitor and enforce free and fair competition, as well as the sufficiency of the guarantees concerning the statutory impartiality and powers that enable the Council to fulfil its mandate independently. The Council's independence merits discussion in the debate on the optimal implementation of a competition authority, as it is relevant to good governance and the rule of law. To regulate competition effectively, it is essential that the competition regulator remains independent. However, within a democratic framework, the Council's independence must be balanced by parliamentary accountability and budgetary control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred some regulators in the USA to require occupational health and safety programs to prevent COVID-19 transmission in workplaces. The objective of this study was to describe such state and federal regulations enacted between January 2020 and January 2022. Regulations, including emergency temporary standards (ETS) and permanent standards, were identified through a search of Nexis Uni and Bloomberg Law and review of US OSHA websites and the Federal Register. Full texts were reviewed for regulatory scope, hazard and exposure definitions, determination of exposure or risk levels, and control strategies. Four state (California, Michigan, Virginia, and Oregon) and two federal regulations were identified. All regulations described respiratory aerosols as the primary source of SARS-CoV-2 and recognized person-to-person transmission by droplet, airborne, and contact routes. Only the US OSHA ETS for healthcare explicitly stated that inhalation of respiratory particles was the most likely method of COVID-19 transmission. The Virginia, Michigan, and Oregon regulations described different categories of risk defined by exposure frequency and duration or specific workplace activities. California described exposure as places and times when employees come into contact or congregate with other people. The US OSHA ETS for healthcare described exposure as involving close contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. While all of the state regulations required strategies from across the hierarchy, only the Virginia regulations specifically incorporated the hierarchy of controls. Only the California and Virginia regulations explicitly linked control strategies to the transmission route, while Virginia demarcated control strategies by risk level. Oregon linked risk level to occupancy levels and physical distancing requirements and referred to the use of a layered approach for transmission control. The US OSHA ETS for healthcare defined droplet and airborne precautions but made no mention of the hierarchy of controls or risk levels. Respirators were discussed in most of the regulations. The first Michigan regulation explicitly required respirators appropriate to exposure risk. The California regulations noted that respirators protect the wearer while face coverings protect people around the wearer. These regulations offer insights for a permanent US OSHA infectious disease regulation, such as the need to consider a range of transmission modes including near- and far-range aerosol inhalation, endemic and novel pathogens, workplaces beyond healthcare settings, factors that contribute to exposure and risk, the hierarchy of controls, the role of vaccination, and the importance of written exposure assessment and infection prevention plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines regulatory policy transfer into a transitioning economy and explores the impact of corruption and weak state institutions on the resulting regulatory design and implementation. The study looks at an accreditation programme aimed at lifting the safety performance, compliance and business efficiency of truck operators in South Africa. In this case study a heavily state directed programme operating in Australia undergoes significant modification and redesign to achieve similar regulatory effect in the South African context. The case highlights how in transitioning settings the requirement to deal with local cultural and contextual issues such as corruption and weak state institutions, results in innovative regulatory design and delivery frameworks. While highlighting adaptation progressed through transfer, this study points to the important role industry can play independent of government in delivering the regulatory effect. The findings demonstrate the value transfer studies can bring to the analysis and understanding of policy and regulatory practice. This is a qualitative study drawing on interviews and participant observation with industry and government officials involved in the South African trucking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Direito GV is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Studies on regulatory encounters have shown that the interaction between regulator and regulatee is important for implementation of public policy. Much of this research examines how the behavior of frontline workers in such encounters affects regulatee compliance, that is, an outcome of the encounter, but we know less about the behavior that regulatees bring to these encounters. This paper therefore examines how businesses behave in encounters with regulatory authorities, and whether we can identify distinct, multidimensional types of encounter behavior. Using survey data from representative samples of Danish businesses and an exploratory cluster analysis, we identify five types of encounter behavior. We label these "Cooperators," "Accommodators," "Game players," "Protesters," and "Fighters." We believe this framework provides a useful next step in a research agenda on businesses' behavior in regulatory encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Croatian & Comparative Public Administration is the property of Institut za Javnu Upravu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This theme-based book review considers four recent titles related to the intersection of business and government: Outsourcing in the UK: Politics, Practices and Outcomes, by Janice Morphet; Public Financial Management in the European Union: Public Finance and Global Crises, by Marta Postula; Handbook of Business and Public Policy, edited by Aynsley Kellow, Tony Porter, and Karsten Ronit; and European Public Procurement: Commentary on Directive 2014/24/EU, edited by Roberto Caranta and Albert Sanchez-Graells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioural public policy is a relatively new, but already substantial, subfield of public policy. To date, paternalistic frameworks have tended to dominate this subfield, at least in terms of the rhetoric, but attempts at informing public policy with findings from behavioural science set within a liberal framework are emerging. In this article, I argue for a liberal vision for the field, and yet recognize that when one places a high premium on individual freedom it is inevitable that some will act upon their egoistic instincts to attempt to obtain advantage at the expense of others. Since some of those attempts will, in essence, use the findings of behavioural science in order to manipulate others in an exchange relationship, harms – or negative externalities – will be imposed upon the manipulated. This therefore provides a behavioural-informed justification to regulate against what might be adjudged as excessive harms, regulations that are defined here as budges. Budges sit well within a liberal behavioural public policy framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sharing many of their liberal sentiments, and while opposed to behaviourally-informed paternalistic state intervention, I argue in my article for a more Millian approach to behavioural public policy (Oliver, [3]). Mario Rizzo, Nick Chater, Cass Sunstein, Peter Boettke & Christopher Coyne and I presented papers under this general theme at those symposia, and their (and my) articles comprise this special section of the journal. Keywords: Behavioural; state; regulation; manipulation EN Behavioural state regulation manipulation 1928 1933 6 12/27/22 20221201 NES 221201 Introduction Behavioural public policy is a relatively new, but now substantive, subfield of public policy. [Extracted from the article]

This article builds on new institutional economics to characterize the functions played by meso‐institutions in bridging the gap between the macro‐institutional layer at which general rules are established and the micro‐institutional layer within which transactions are organized. The argument is substantiated through a comparative analysis of the regulatory settings designed to secure the safety of raw milk in Brazil, Canada, and Italy. We show that similar rules may lead to very different operational impact, depending on the arrangements through which these rules are implemented. The analysis also points out some consequences for the organization of supply chains and public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homeless people were a new sight in the post-1989 Czech Republic, as the previous regime effectively criminalized homelessness. Thus, in the 1990s, the new visibility of homeless people was a shock to the public eye. This paper is based on a longitudinal study of how, based on this new visibility, the representations of homeless people developed throughout the 1989–2015 period. The paper focuses on the interplay between physical visibility of homelessness and its visibility for public policy. It introduces a threefold theoretical model of how the former is transformed into the latter: I argue that, to be recognized as "problematic" in public space, a group must (a) be recognized as a distinct category (categorical visibility), (b) be recognized as a threat to the civil order (moral visibility), and (c) that public policy must have legal instruments to perceive and address the issue (the eyes and arms of public policy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study ascertains the views of UK stakeholders on the actual, and possible, impact of a public health licensing objective in their day-to-day work. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with members of public health teams who were actively engaged in alcohol licensing in their local area between 2017 and 2019. Six teams were based in Scotland (where there is a public health licensing objective) and 14 in England (where there is no similar objective). Scottish participants reported that while challenges remained in applying the public health licensing objective, progress had been made and the objective was beneficial to their work. Participants in England felt that an objective would increase the legitimacy, value and impact of their contributions. In both Scotland and England, constructive relationships between PHTs, licensing authorities and other key stakeholders were developing suggesting that PHTs could have a sustainable and positive role in licensing. In many Scottish areas, the alcohol licensing system is evolving to take constructive account of its public health objective. In England, PHTs that have invested resources in engaging in this area have demonstrated an ability to work effectively within licensing systems. Strong support for the adoption of a public health licensing objective among these PHTs adds weights to calls for the UK Government to reconsider its previous decision not to introduce such an objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a framework to find optimal price-based policies to regulate markets characterized by oligopolistic competition and in which consumers make a discrete choice among a finite set of alternatives. The framework accommodates general discrete choice models available in the literature in order to capture heterogeneous consumer behavior. In our work, consumers are utility maximizers and are modeled according to random utility theory. Suppliers are modeled as profit maximizers, according to the traditional microeconomic treatment. Market competition is modeled as a non-cooperative game, for which an approximate equilibrium solution is sought. Finally, the regulator can affect the behavior of all other agents by giving subsidies or imposing taxes to consumers. In transport markets, economic instruments might target specific alternatives, to reduce externalities such as congestion or emissions, or specific segments of the population, to achieve social welfare objectives. In public policy, different agents have different individual or social objectives, possibly conflicting, which must be taken into account within a social welfare function. We present a mixed integer optimization model to find optimal policies subject to supplier profit maximization and consumer utility maximization constraints. Then, we propose a model-based heuristic approach based on the fixed-point iteration algorithm that finds an approximate equilibrium solution for the market. Numerical experiments on an intercity travel case study show how the regulator can optimize its decisions under different scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary reviews the publication by Smaggus et al published in the IJHPM in July 2021 on “Government Actions and Their Relation to Resilience in Healthcare During the COVID-19 Pandemic in New South Wales, Australia and Ontario, Canada” which analysed media releases to identify how governments contributed to resilience in healthcare (RiH). We suggest media releases might not be the best data to capture the mechanisms, activities and interactions through which government actions enhance or hinder RiH. RiH recognizes healthcare as a complex sociotechnical system, so studies into fostering capacity for RiH should be designed for complex sociotechnical systems. This means data should be derived from multiple sources to allow for diverse perspectives, and preferably include direct observations to capture the intricacies of backstage interactions.

Introduction: This study investigated exposures involving ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC) reported to US poison centers (PCs), including variation among states and regions. It evaluated whether the ∆8-THC exposure rate was lower among states with ∆8-THC regulations and states where cannabis (∆9-THC) use was legal.National Poison Data System data for ∆8-THC exposures in 2021–2022 were analyzed, including comparisons of state and regional population-based exposure rates.There were 4,925 exposures involving ∆8-THC as the primary substance reported to US PCs from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, with 69.8% of these reported in the US South. The rate of exposure per 100,000 US population increased by 79.2% from 0.53 in 2021 to 0.95 in 2022. In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where cannabis use was illegal was 1.64 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1.08–2.20) compared with 0.52 (95% CI: 0.29–0.76) in states where cannabis use was legal (P = 0.0010). In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where ∆8-THC was unregulated was 1.36 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 0.95–1.77) compared with 0.17 (95% CI: 0.06–0.27) in states where ∆8-THC was banned (P < 0.0001).The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to US PCs increased by 79% from 2021 to 2022, with the US South accounting for more than two-thirds of exposures. The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to PCs was significantly lower among states where ∆8-THC was banned and among states where cannabis use was legal. Consistent regulation of ∆8-THC across all states should be adopted.Methods: This study investigated exposures involving ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC) reported to US poison centers (PCs), including variation among states and regions. It evaluated whether the ∆8-THC exposure rate was lower among states with ∆8-THC regulations and states where cannabis (∆9-THC) use was legal.National Poison Data System data for ∆8-THC exposures in 2021–2022 were analyzed, including comparisons of state and regional population-based exposure rates.There were 4,925 exposures involving ∆8-THC as the primary substance reported to US PCs from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, with 69.8% of these reported in the US South. The rate of exposure per 100,000 US population increased by 79.2% from 0.53 in 2021 to 0.95 in 2022. In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where cannabis use was illegal was 1.64 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1.08–2.20) compared with 0.52 (95% CI: 0.29–0.76) in states where cannabis use was legal (P = 0.0010). In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where ∆8-THC was unregulated was 1.36 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 0.95–1.77) compared with 0.17 (95% CI: 0.06–0.27) in states where ∆8-THC was banned (P < 0.0001).The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to US PCs increased by 79% from 2021 to 2022, with the US South accounting for more than two-thirds of exposures. The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to PCs was significantly lower among states where ∆8-THC was banned and among states where cannabis use was legal. Consistent regulation of ∆8-THC across all states should be adopted.Results: This study investigated exposures involving ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC) reported to US poison centers (PCs), including variation among states and regions. It evaluated whether the ∆8-THC exposure rate was lower among states with ∆8-THC regulations and states where cannabis (∆9-THC) use was legal.National Poison Data System data for ∆8-THC exposures in 2021–2022 were analyzed, including comparisons of state and regional population-based exposure rates.There were 4,925 exposures involving ∆8-THC as the primary substance reported to US PCs from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, with 69.8% of these reported in the US South. The rate of exposure per 100,000 US population increased by 79.2% from 0.53 in 2021 to 0.95 in 2022. In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where cannabis use was illegal was 1.64 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1.08–2.20) compared with 0.52 (95% CI: 0.29–0.76) in states where cannabis use was legal (P = 0.0010). In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where ∆8-THC was unregulated was 1.36 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 0.95–1.77) compared with 0.17 (95% CI: 0.06–0.27) in states where ∆8-THC was banned (P < 0.0001).The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to US PCs increased by 79% from 2021 to 2022, with the US South accounting for more than two-thirds of exposures. The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to PCs was significantly lower among states where ∆8-THC was banned and among states where cannabis use was legal. Consistent regulation of ∆8-THC across all states should be adopted.Conclusions: This study investigated exposures involving ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC) reported to US poison centers (PCs), including variation among states and regions. It evaluated whether the ∆8-THC exposure rate was lower among states with ∆8-THC regulations and states where cannabis (∆9-THC) use was legal.National Poison Data System data for ∆8-THC exposures in 2021–2022 were analyzed, including comparisons of state and regional population-based exposure rates.There were 4,925 exposures involving ∆8-THC as the primary substance reported to US PCs from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, with 69.8% of these reported in the US South. The rate of exposure per 100,000 US population increased by 79.2% from 0.53 in 2021 to 0.95 in 2022. In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where cannabis use was illegal was 1.64 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1.08–2.20) compared with 0.52 (95% CI: 0.29–0.76) in states where cannabis use was legal (P = 0.0010). In 2022, the mean rate of ∆8-THC exposures in states where ∆8-THC was unregulated was 1.36 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 0.95–1.77) compared with 0.17 (95% CI: 0.06–0.27) in states where ∆8-THC was banned (P < 0.0001).The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to US PCs increased by 79% from 2021 to 2022, with the US South accounting for more than two-thirds of exposures. The rate of ∆8-THC exposures reported to PCs was significantly lower among states where ∆8-THC was banned and among states where cannabis use was legal. Consistent regulation of ∆8-THC across all states should be adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]