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Hazard mitigation planning requires disparate agencies to negotiate through the planning and implementation processes. These agencies must strategize, develop, and implement plans for addressing scenarios of natural and human-caused hazards. Competing perspectives exist in systems engineering at multiple levels of governance. This paper introduces a framework to understand and coordinate when one or more agencies have outlier perspectives of the priority ordering of initiatives in regional hazard mitigation. Each agency perspective is represented as a scenario that disrupts system order. The paper presents a mathematical framework with 40 initiatives, six ordering criteria, and eight scenarios. The method coordinates evidence and experience that are essential to negotiation of requirements among emergency managers in hazard mitigation planning in the postpandemic era. Practical Applications: Unprecedented combinations of natural and human-caused stressors are challenging to plan for since the perspectives of participating agencies can differ significantly. The agencies that collaborate on emergency management include transportation, law enforcement, environment, prisons, parks and recreation, forestry, energy, and others. This paper facilitates negotiations among these various agencies in the hazard mitigation planning process by introducing a framework to understand and coordinate when one or more agencies have outlier perspectives of the priorities for investments in hazard mitigation. The application of the framework identifies where negotiation among the agencies is most needed in determining hazard mitigation priorities. This approach, grounded in principles of systems engineering and risk analysis, reduces cost overrun and schedule delay in the life cycle of emergency management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences (IJRES) is the property of International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences 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.)

Purpose: In recent decades, higher education has increasingly faced pressures to address real-world challenges in social, economic, environmental, and technological domains. The literature indicates that universities have expanded the traditional notion of science to include new missions. Their responses to these demands varied based on their regulations and social contexts. Some universities demonstrated strong local or regional orientations, while others broadened their activities to become international players. Additionally, some institutions adapted their internal procedures to embrace new administrative methods or transformed into entrepreneurial universities. Consequently, the literature provides evidence of a positive response from universities, although this response is scattered and not uniform on a global scale.As strategic plans offer managerial insights and operational frameworks for achieving organizational goals and missions, their content can be analyzed to examine university responses to various demands. This study employed a quantitative content analysis method to investigate the strategic plans of universities worldwide, exploring their approaches to new academic missions, the emerging subjects recently included in these plans and their correlation with the development levels of their respective countries.Methodology: The research sample comprised the strategic plans of universities worldwide that are accessible on the web. The universities were initially identified using the list provided by the Scimago Institutions and University Rankings, which included 4,126 universities at the time of data collection in May 2022. By employing the following formula in the title field of documents indexed in Google, the strategic plan of each university was located, and its full text was downloaded:("strategic plan" OR "strategic plans" OR "strategic planning" OR "Strategic * plan" OR "action plan" OR "action plans" OR "action planning" OR strategy OR vision OR mission OR values) AND [University Name]852 strategic plans in both English and non-English languages were retrieved, available in either text or image formats. The non-English strategic plans were translated using Google Translate, while image files were converted into text with Google Docs. The complete texts of the strategic plans were then input as plain text into VoSViewer software, version 1.6.19, where their co-word maps were analyzed following linguistic pre-processing. A thesaurus was developed and utilized to standardize the terminology.To identify novel subjects that have recently emerged in the strategic plans, they were weighted according to the commencement year of their respective periods. Furthermore, to examine the relationship between these subjects and the development levels of their respective countries, the plans were weighted by the Human Development Index and Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development, as reported by the United Nations Development Program and the World Bank, respectively. A whole counting method was employed to calculate term frequencies. Additionally, a threshold of occurrence in at least ten strategic plans was established for a term to be included in the map. A total of 1,158 words or phrases were identified. By applying a threshold of 60% of the most relevant terms, 695 terms were included in the final map.Findings: Five clusters were identified including “society”, “students”, “systems”, “transformation”, and “graduate programs”. The largest cluster, i.e., “society”, included the concepts related to education, research, and innovation. The terms “society” and “world” were respectively the biggest nodes in this cluster, indicating the connection of these main missions with real-world challenges. In the “graduate cluster”, the “global rankings” node occurred linked to “sustainable development goals”, “international collaborations”, and “partnerships”. In the “student” cluster, “courses" was the second largest node. Along with the terms related to classic academic missions (i.e., “students”, “graduate programs”, and “courses”), the terms related to new academic missions were observed including “communities”, “world”, “economy”, “sustainable development”, “economic growth”, “social growth”, “excellence”, “solutions”, “diversity”, “climate”, and “climate change”. The terms’ occurrences showed dependence on the plans’ novelty and country development level. For example, the terms “communities”, “social enterprises”, “sustainability”, “global rankings”, “sustainable development goals”, “web applications”, and “circular economy” occurred for moderately to highly developed countries.Conclusion: Universities worldwide have broadened their focus beyond traditional missions to encompass new objectives related to the economy, society, and the environment. The reliance on these terms varies according to each country's level of development, highlighting the necessity for pragmatic policymaking to establish achievable short- and long-term goals. Furthermore, this situation raises concerns about the potential to deepen divides among nations due to differing objectives set for higher education. Notably, the lack of terms associated with research output and traditional mission-oriented ranking systems poses a challenge to the for ranking's sake approach.

As an assessment coordinator with a non-library educational background, the author discusses her perspectives on how an academic library builds and promotes a culture of assessment since joining a public research library in 2018. She also presents key insights gained while working on strategic plans and assessment plans. This column may be beneficial to library leadership and administrators regarding practical aspects to consider while fostering a culture of assessment in their organization. This column may be also useful for individuals who desire to broaden their position in library assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-level governing boards (SLGBs) play integral roles in the leadership and governance of higher education. Oftentimes, though, their role and influence are understated or ignored in scholarship. In this article, the authors recenter the integral impact of these boards and push for a better understanding of their impact on higher education. Specifically, through an examination of 33 strategic plans, the authors consider how SLGBs can better manage the equity challenges within colleges and universities. Recognizing that higher education governance is complex and involves many moving parts, the authors present an argument for how SLGBs can influence postsecondary equity work. This article helps elucidate how SLGBs intersect with prevailing equity discourses and support higher education leaders to better recognize and understand the surreptitious ways equity is absent from pivotal discourses despite the best intentions and measured efforts of entities such as state-level governing boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2522-3380) is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) 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.)

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of strategic plans implementation on performance of regulatory institutions in Nairobi City County. Methodology: The scope of this study encompasses 81 regulatory institutions operating within Nairobi City County. The study used a cross-sectional survey design using a self- administered questionnaires. The target population for study is 33,886 employees of the 81 regulatory institutions in Nairobi City County. On the other hand, a sample size will be 246 respondents that will be arrived at through stratified random sampling. The quantitative information was collected by using standardized questionnaires given to sampled top management, middle level management and operational level staff in these regulatory institutions. Conversely, document analysis was used to acquire the qualitative data. The questionnaires were processed quantitatively while documentary evidences such as reports were analysed thematically. The data was presented in frequency tables. Findings: The study established that regulatory institutions were moderately engaging stakeholders in implementation of strategic plans. Notably, it was established that there existed challenges that hindered stakeholders’ collaboration. The study established that the allocated budget were averagely aligned to the strategic plans goals and initiatives. This meant that all the set objectives under strategic plans by these institutions could not be supported by the allocated budgets. The study also established that the management in these institutions were only communicating strategic vision and goals to employees at a moderate extent. In addition, there were deficiencies of skills capacity in certain areas in the implementation of strategic plans. The study determined these mechanisms were not well entrenched in these institutions. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on performance contract theory. The study recommends that regulatory institutions should set clear strategic goals and objectives. Significantly, these institutions need to have clear communication strategies for their strategic goals, objectives and shared vision. Besides, they should improve their monitoring and evaluation mechanisms by having Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in every strategic goal and objective that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. In addition, regulatory institutions should prioritize engagement of stakeholders throughout the implementation process. Finally, the study recommends allocation of adequate resources to regulatory institutions based on the programs set out in their strategic plans for effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few years have made it clear that the world is entering a new phase in which sustainability is of paramount importance to the survival and well‐being of our global societies. This paper describes the strategic plan for the Institute for Convergent Systems Engineering which is addressing the challenge of ethical sustainability in which social, environmental, and economic implications are carefully considered and balanced. Included is a discussion of the criticality of convergent systems engineering and its values and principles. The paper also presents a three part strategy for sustainability at the macro, meso, and micro levels entailing the consideration of end‐to‐end global value supply chains. The foundational pillars of research, education, and collaboration are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the influence of organizational resources on implementation of strategic plans (SPs) in Tanzania’s Local Government Authorities. The idea behind was to establish the influence of available resources (financial, human, material and information) on implementation of SPs in LGAs. The underlying theory on this study was resource-based view. The study opted Pragmatism philosophy which hinges on the mixed methods approach (explanatory sequential design), and the study was a cross- sectional, where data were collected at one point in time. The sample size of 204 respondents was drawn from a target population of 860 employees in five randomly selected LGAs in Morogoro region. The findings revealed that, all predictors (financial, human, material and information resources) had a statistically significant positive relationship with the implementation of SPs in LGAs: Whereby, financial resources had (t=2.147, P=0.033

From July 2022 to December 2022, the World Data System (WDS) International Technology (ITO) and International Program (IPO) Offices conducted a review of strategic plans and technical roadmaps of all current WDS members and the set of Canadian repositories that participated in the Digital Research Alliance of Canada's CoreTrustSeal Certification Support and Funding Pilotv (Digital Research Alliance of Canada, 2022). In this paper, we describe how a new organizational assessment method was designed and utilized to identify the needs and challenges faced by the WDS and Canadian CTS Pilot members. Our method relied on reviewing public-facing documentation provided by the repositories, with a priority on strategic plans and technical road maps. In total, we reviewed 95 sources of information, including 33 strategic plans and 3 technical roadmaps describing a total of 95 out of the original 147 target organizations. In this paper, we also describe our assessment tool and the overarching challenges and goals we identified through the usage of this tool. Finally, we will describe the limitations of our methodology and provide recommendations from the World Data System on how best to assist the WDS members and the cohort of Canadian data repositories based on our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global climate crisis is present in national and international discourse, along with other challenges the world is going through, such as the current wars in Ukraine and Gaza or the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, with the negative effects highlighted in the United Nations' sustainable development report. This paper aims to analyse and discuss how higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal cope with these challenges and contribute to a more sustainable world. The Portuguese case is interesting because, in recent years, they have been pressed to demonstrate their commitment towards sustainability publicly. We will proceed with framing the current role of Portuguese HEIs and their commitment to a sustainable world. This implies taking stock of their engagement with university social responsibility (USR), a concern of HEIs that is transversal to their roles – research, teaching, and service to society – but emphasises developing environmental sustainability and engaging students in active citizenship. Our argument is based on the importance that HEIs play in the sustainable development of societies, particularly in terms of environmental sustainability. Through documentary analysis of the strategic plans of HEIs, we explore if sustainability emerges and how it is framed in terms of policies and practices, contributing to a reflective debate on HEIs’ potential role in addressing current challenges and committing to a more sustainable world. Therefore, the findings suggest that institutional diversity and territorial inequalities are important elements for understanding how different public HEIs in Portugal conceive and practice sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From July 2022 to December 2022, the World Data System (WDS) International Technology (ITO) and International Program (IPO) Offices conducted a review of strategic plans and technical roadmaps of all current WDS members and the set of Canadian repositories that participated in the Digital Research Alliance of Canada's CoreTrustSeal Certification Support and Funding Pilot (Digital Research Alliance of Canada, 2022). In this paper, we describe how a new organizational assessment method was designed and utilized to identify the needs and challenges faced by the WDS and Canadian CTS Pilot members. Our method relied on reviewing public-facing documentation provided by the repositories, with a priority on strategic plans and technical road maps. In total, we reviewed 95 sources of information, including 33 strategic plans and 3 technical roadmaps describing a total of 95 out of the original 147 target organizations. In this paper, we also describe our assessment tool and the overarching challenges and goals we identified through the usage of this tool. Finally, we will describe the limitations of our methodology and provide recommendations from the World Data System on how best to assist the WDS members and the cohort of Canadian data repositories based on our findings.

Uncorrected refractive error has predominantly been delivered through commercial entrepreneurship in Kenya. However, to achieve the 2030 IN SIGHT, integration of other forms of entrepreneurship such as the social entrepreneurship is desirable to supplement the efforts of the dominant commercial entrepreneurship. Therefore, this study intended to undertake a SWOT analysis of the current models used by social enterprises in scaling effective refractive error coverage to achieve the 2030 IN SIGHT in Kenya. A review of the seven national strategic plans for eye health in Kenya was undertaken to get a glimpse on the efforts directed towards uncorrected refractive error in achieving the 2030 IN SIGHT. The review was inclined towards assessing the efforts directed by the strategic plans towards scaling human resource, spectacle provision and refraction points. A SWOT analysis was undertaken based on the financial, impact and the approach report for each model. A key informant interview was conducted with a representative and three to five members of the social enterprise about the model. Thereafter, the modified SWOT analysis based on the review and the interview was presented to the representatives of the social enterprises. Purposive sampling was used to identify seven models used by social enterprises in the delivery of refractive error services in Kenya. Finally, the recommendations were presented to key opinion leaders for an input through a Delphi technique. Out of the seven national strategic plans for eye health reviewed, only the strategic plan 2020–2025 intends to establish optical units within 15 different counties in Kenya. Of the seven models currently utilized by social enterprises, only the Kenya Society for the Blind has integrated the telemedicine concept. On application of mHealth, all of the social enterprises models tend to embrace the approach for screening activities. None of the models has a strengthened referral pathway utilizing telereferral and telemedicine. Out of all the models, only Operation Eyesight Universal, Fred Hollow Foundation and Peek Acuity do not depend on sales of subsidized spectacles for sustainability. Every model has the capacity to propel the delivery of refractive error services depending on its comprehensiveness. However, for the 2030 IN SIGHT to be achieved, models prioritizing human resource through telemedicine integration, service provision across all sectors, awareness creation and enhancing cost efficiency are desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Venezolana de Gerencia (RVG) is the property of Revista de Filosofia-Universidad del Zulia 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.)

The strategic plans of universities have an important role in enabling HEIs to contribute to sustainability transitions. To address the current lack of studies in HEIs in Türkiye, this paper aims to determine how universities in Türkiye integrate sustainable development goals (SDGs) into their strategic plans to indicate the extent to which these universities align with the 17 SDGs and to discuss the visibility of SDGs in strategies. The research has been designed as a qualitative study involving document analysis. QS World University Rankings or being a research university are the two criteria for the sampling. The scope of the study consists of 27 universities, representing 13.4% of the universities in Türkiye. The most striking result was that, apparently, none of the strategic plans mentioned Goals 1 (no poverty), 6 (clean water), and 13 (climate action). The sampled universities in Turkey have established a restricted set of strategic objectives linked to SD Goals 2, 5, 10, and 11. These remarkable findings prompt inquiries into the underlying reasons for this constrained scope, warranting further investigation. A potential factor contributing to the limited objectives regarding these goals could be traced to a lack of awareness and understanding of the intricate connections between these goals and the overarching mission of higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the strategic issues faced by public libraries in South Korea spanning the period from 2003 to 2022. An extensive examination of 176 strategic planning documents from 17 local governments resulted in the selection and analysis of 75 documents using a strategic planning analysis model. The findings reveal that issues such as staff/training, collaboration/networks, information literacy, digital libraries, physical space, and collection emerged as major concerns in the strategic planning of public libraries in Korea. An analysis of the top issues' distribution over fiveyear intervals showed that staff/training issues consistently held a high rank over the 20-year period, underscoring their enduring strategic importance. Conversely, collection-related issues started with a low rank between 2003 and 2007 but consistently rose in significance from 2008 to 2022, becoming crucial strategic considerations for public libraries. Notably, these trends align closely with the direction set by the Comprehensive Library Advancement Plan at the national level for each period. The study underscores how the national-level development plan for libraries significantly influences the detailed strategic planning directions of local public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ever-evolving landscape of global agricultural supply chains, ensuring traceability, transparency, and sustainability is paramount to guaranteeing food safety, combating fraud, and meeting consumer demands. The Philippine onion industry, a vital component of the nation's horticultural sector, grapples with challenges related to traceability and transparency that impact customer trust and economic sustainability. While the adoption of smart contract platforms has revolutionized traceability and transparency in various agricultural sectors worldwide, their potential in the Philippine onion market remains underutilized. This study employs a comprehensive meta-analysis approach to evaluate the existing traceability and transparency mechanisms within the Philippine onion industry, drawing insights from a diverse set of studies. The meta-analysis reveals a consistently positive impact of these mechanisms on traceability and transparency. The findings, supported by a range of studies, underscore the value of these mechanisms in improving product quality, supply chain efficiency, and transparency. The study further investigates the potential impact of smart contract platforms in enhancing traceability and transparency throughout the onion industry's supply chain. Meta-analysis results suggest that the adoption of smart contract platforms holds promise in furthering these objectives. Through automated record-keeping and real-time data sharing, smart contracts have the potential to address existing challenges related to data fragmentation and limited technological integration. Identifying barriers to smart contract platform adoption in the context of traceability and transparency, the study proposes a set of strategic initiatives and recommendations. These recommendations cater to various stakeholders, including government bodies, academic institutions, local authorities, onion farmers, and industry players, aiming to promote the widespread adoption of smart contract platforms. This study extends beyond the confines of the Philippine onion industry, offering valuable insights into the role of smart contract platforms in enhancing traceability, transparency, and sustainability within agricultural supply chains. As the world works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, this research contributes to the realization of "Zero Hunger" and "Responsible Consumption and Production" by promoting transparent and sustainable supply chains. By bridging the gap in understanding the potential of smart contract platforms in enhancing traceability and transparency, this study paves the way for innovative solutions, inspiring trust, and fostering sustainable farming practices within the onion industry and, potentially, in similar sectors worldwide.

A common criticism of strategic planning is that it is of little use when the environment is turbulent and the future is unpredictable. The last decade has witnessed great environmental turbulence and uncertainty in many conditions that are important for public policy and administration. This study analyses survey data from 144 public sector organisations in Norway in 2020 on how strategic planning has been designed and used over the past 4 years and how managers perceived the usefulness of the strategic planning. Most of the central as well as local government organizations prepared strategic plans in addition to mandatory plans and the managers perceived the net benefit of the strategic planning as positive, even under the turbulent environments of the recent years. A multivariate regression analysis showed that a prospector adaptation, stakeholder participation, use of management tools and ease of use of the strategic planning process had the greatest positive correlation with the perceived usefulness of strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate sustainability evolved in line with the advancement of the concept of sustainable development; thus, it is constituted as a strategy to respond to social and environmental problems. In this context, universities are understood as complex organizations, positioned as a key mechanism for delivering the sustainable development of society. This research aimed to analyze whether the strategic elements of Chilean state universities integrate components of sustainable development. For this purpose, qualitative research was undertaken through a documentary analysis of the strategic plans of the 18 Chilean state universities, focusing analysis on their strategic elements: their mission, vision and strategic institutional objectives. The results revealed that all universities mention at least one concept associated with one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their strategic guidelines. They mainly focused on 'Quality Education' (SDG 4) and 'Build resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation' (SDG 9). Also, the results allow us to visualize how universities address corporate sustainability issues through their strategic plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are relevant agents in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to their role in society. An analysis of the relationship of Spanish universities with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs has been carried out from three complementary perspectives: the web visibility of Spanish universities, both public and private; the presence in the current strategic plans of the Spanish public and private universities; and the Spanish academic production on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs in the Web of Science database. A quantitative and qualitative methodology has been used to analyse the three areas mentioned. The results show the growing interest in sustainability and the SDGs in Spanish universities in recent years, although some weaknesses that could be improved are also detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the article is to discuss strategic plan implementation challenges and performance of Malawi’s public organisations, with reference to Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC). Following the introduction of public sector reforms in Malawi, government instituted policy directives for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop strategic plans. The philosophy behind the directive was that by introducing strategic plans in public organisations there will be efficient and effective service delivery and that consumers will get public value from improved services. Evidence suggests that public organisations continue to register dismal performance even with strategic plans due to a variety of challenges. The article adopts principal-agent and public value theories as well as PESTEL methods to identify strategic plan implementation challenges and to analyse performance of MACRA and MPC during 2016-2021. It finds that these Malawian public organisations performed dismally despite having strategic plans, because of political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental challenges. The article recommends that there should be both incentives and penalties for public organisations as well as a comprehensive legal enforcement mechanism for strategic plans in order to ensure that they perform efficiently and effectively to the satisfaction of their principal, government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As more Latinx students enroll at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), it is important for institutions of higher education to intentionally engage in strategic planning that aligns their mission, values, and goals with their changing environments. In this content analysis, we examined how the strategic plans of 19 public 2-year and 4-year HSIs in Texas described the ways in which they served Latinx students beyond enrollment and graduation rates. We propose three HSI orientations – Latinx-ghosting, Latinx-leaning, and Latinx-serving – to demonstrate how HSIs target efforts and resources to serve Latinx students. Our findings suggest there are misalignments between the goals outlined in some strategic plans and the actual measures and practices provided to achieve these goals. Ultimately, we argue that strategic plans from institutions codified as Latinx-serving have the potential to serve as peer examples and roadmaps for current HSIs and emerging-HSIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning consists of thinking about the future and allows territories to be better prepared to take advantage of opportunities and face challenges that arise. In Portugal, tourism is one of the pillars of the economy, generating wealth and creating various job openings. In recent years, this destination has won several international awards and distinctions due to the quality of services and tourism offerings. Part of this success is due to the planning carried out by the entity responsible, Turismo de Portugal. This study aims to analyse the content and structure of national tourism plans implemented in Portugal since 2000. Furthermore, we want to understand: (1) the vision outlined for the Portuguese territory and the changes it has undergone in recent decades; (2) the methodologies that were used in the formation process of these plans, for instance, if public auscultation was used; (3) the main objectives defined for the territory and which were the actions that have been defined to achieve them. A qualitative methodology of document analysis was used, combined with the presentation of a case study related to tourism planning at a national level. The results show the growing importance of the tourism sector for the Portuguese economy. Since 2020, the growing involvement of stakeholders in the construction of strategic plans has also been evident through public consultation and an emphasis on sustainability practices in the tourism sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various strategic plans compiled by the local levels of government seek to advance the need to integrate strategic planning frameworks and improve service delivery and related content through the application of performance management tools. From the perspective of municipalities, all policies and plans at all levels of government need to be articulated with empirical based plan-level formulation and in compliance with set performance assessment criteria. Using South Africa as a case study, the methodology of the paper included a theoretical analysis of available (but applicable) performance management tools and processes. The focus and outcome were the development of a simplified performance management tool that supports elementary prioritization of projects and the setting of standards to address the growing needs, service backlogs, and informality challenges, thereby enhancing sustainable planning and development applicable to developing countries. The study findings highlight, firstly, the prevalence of persistent service delivery gaps in local government. Secondly, local government performance management and strategic plan implementation is constrained by measurement data, standards, and information gaps. Thirdly, inadequate legislative frameworks and strategic instruments applicable to local government in developing countries adds another layer of performance management gap dimensions. Fourthly, there is misalignment between policies, legislative provisions, and local needs in terms of a set of applicable measurement tools and standards relevant in a developing country. Fifthly, an oversight role gap exists in terms of clearly defining the roles and scope of responsibilities concerning performance management. These above-mentioned shortcomings read together constitute a service delivery performance management tools gap that needs to be overcome if improved service delivery is to be achieved. In view of the above-stated considerations, a simplified performance management tool to enhance service delivery in local government had to be developed. The developed simplified performance management tool assumes that the application of performance management assessment processes is to be aligned throughout all spheres of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses serious risks to rural communities which rely heavily on climate-sensitive resources. Rural communities are also significant contributors to GHG emissions given the prevalence of agriculture and related activities and are therefore expected to develop courses of action that tackle climate change. This includes either formulating a standalone plan that outlines mitigation and adaptation strategies or integrating these priorities into existing plans. The extent to which municipalities fulfill these planning functions, and how well, has been found to vary considerably from one community to another. In this study, we sought to contribute to knowledge about how well rural municipalities are planning for climate change risks. To this end, we systematically evaluated the contents and quality of rural climate change plans in Ontario (Canada). Using a well-established plan quality evaluation framework, we found that rural plans generally contained strong mechanisms for coordination between departments, and most had outlined specific goals concerning climate change action. By contrast, few plans provided a meaningful fact base to support their goals, many lacked specific policies to guide decision-makers in achieving climate goals, and most contained weak provisions for monitoring and evaluation. After drawing out some key themes from the plan quality analysis, the article concludes by pointing to areas of rural climate change planning that require further attention, and by outlining some areas for further study. • Rural municipal climate change planning is in its infancy in Ontario, Canada. • There is an emphasis on climate mitigation over adaptation. • There is a lack of meaningful fact base to support climate change goals. • Plans lacked specific policies to guide decision-makers in achieving climate goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has not halted farmland biodiversity loss. The CAP post‐2023 has a new "Green Architecture," including the new "Eco‐scheme" instrument. How can this new Green Architecture help tackle the biodiversity crisis? Through 13 workshops and an online survey, over 300 experts from 23 European Member States addressed this question. From experts' contributions, key principles for success include preserving and restoring (semi)natural elements and extensive grasslands; improving spatial planning and landscape‐scale implementation, including through collective actions; implementing result‐based approaches; and improved knowledge exchange. To maximize the effectiveness of Eco‐scheme for biodiversity, experts highlighted the need to prioritize evidence‐based actions, allocate a sufficient budget for biodiversity, and incentivize management improvements through higher payment levels. Additionally, stronger coherence is needed among CAP instruments. For effective CAP implementation, the European Commission and the Member States should expand investments in biodiversity monitoring, knowledge transfer, and capacity‐building within relevant institutions. The remaining risks in the CAP's ability to reverse the loss of farmland biodiversity still require better design, closer monitoring, greater transparency, and better engagement with farmers. Additionally, greater involvement of scientists is needed to guide the CAP toward restoring farmland biodiversity while accounting for synergies and trade‐offs with other objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community engagement within the construction classroom has the potential to enhance student learning while also fostering strong community relationships and meeting some of society's most pressing needs. These activities afford students the opportunity to directly apply concepts learned in the classroom. Other outcomes include improved communication, teamwork, and the development of civic responsibility. Civic engagement through service learning qualifies as a high impact educational practice (HIP), and construction students have many options available through their applied discipline. Because of the complementary benefits to both students and the community, many universities include civic engagement as a goal in strategic plans. However, to realize successful implementation, goals at the university level need to follow through to the strategic plan goals of individual units. Starting with 106 land-grant institutions, 36 are identified as housing construction programs. Online research was conducted regarding strategic and unit-level plans, and follow-up interviews were held with 12 of the 36 schools. Results confirm and expand on the gap identified in previous research between university strategic plans and unit-level plans. With relatively small shifts, construction programs have the potential to improve student learning, the academic experience, meet community needs, and align with university strategic plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Emerging Economies & Policy is the property of JOEEP: Journal of Emerging Economies & Policy 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.)

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the case for the radical reform of land policy worldwide. It does so, however, in the context of present problems posed by the prevailing coronavirus pandemic. It is a strategic study, not a scientific analysis and is oriented towards the field of the built environment in general and the real estate industry in particular. Design/methodology/approach: Although it draws on concepts of land management long extolled and covers concerns currently circulating about the prospects for urban planning and property development post-pandemic, the synthesis is original. Findings: The concluding counsel is that land policy reform, being a component factor of so much of society's endeavours, should figure far more prominently across the political platforms of the world. Practical implications: Most of the material regarding the "Great Land Question" is based on findings from countless strategic foresight studies conducted by the author over the past 25 years and re-assessed in light of the pandemic. If correct, the practical implications will be significant. Originality/value: This is a review of existing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary organizations live in an era of interest in intellectual and cognitive maturity and are directed towards more studies and research on the importance of human resources for organizations, as the long steps taken by international organizations towards achieving strategic success. It came through the center of its strength and launch, which is the human resources that gave it all the possibilities and means that enable it to innovate and develop. No success can be achieved without taking care of human resources. Hence, the intellectual dilemma of this study dealt with the impact of human resources management in preparing strategic plans. The study arrived at a set of conclusions and recommendations result that all the relations of influence for human resources management strategies and strategic success were strong and significant moral as well as the significance of all this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various strategic plans compiled by the local levels of government seek to advance the need to integrate strategic planning frameworks and improve service delivery and related content through the application of performance management tools. From the perspective of municipalities, all policies and plans at all levels of government need to be articulated with empirical based plan-level formulation and in compliance with set performance assessment criteria. Using South Africa as a case study, the methodology of the paper included a theoretical analysis of available (but applicable) performance management tools and processes. The focus and outcome were the development of a simplified performance management tool that supports elementary prioritization of projects and the setting of standards to address the growing needs, service backlogs, and informality challenges, thereby enhancing sustainable planning and development applicable to developing countries. The study findings highlight, firstly, the prevalence of persistent service delivery gaps in local government. Secondly, local government performance management and strategic plan implementation is constrained by measurement data, standards, and information gaps. Thirdly, inadequate legislative frameworks and strategic instruments applicable to local government in developing countries adds another layer of performance management gap dimensions. Fourthly, there is misalignment between policies, legislative provisions, and local needs in terms of a set of applicable measurement tools and standards relevant in a developing country. Fifthly, an oversight role gap exists in terms of clearly defining the roles and scope of responsibilities concerning performance management. These above-mentioned shortcomings read together constitute a service delivery performance management tools gap that needs to be overcome if improved service delivery is to be achieved. In view of the above-stated considerations, a simplified performance management tool to enhance service delivery in local government had to be developed. The developed simplified performance management tool assumes that the application of performance management assessment processes is to be aligned throughout all spheres of government.

Academic libraries are under enormous pressure to demonstrate their value through assessment. As a department within a larger institution, libraries also need to show how they support the mission and goals of the college. Strategic plans, which set the direction of an organization for the near future, can provide insight into how libraries are prioritizing goals, and the extent to which they are assessing those goals. Campus administrators and library directors will be interested in seeing the extent to which libraries are aligning their activities with those of the parent institution and holding themselves accountable for achievement of their goals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Wetlands have declined in area and quality at an accelerating pace in the last 50 years. Yet, the last 50 years is when international attention has been focussed on wetlands through the Ramsar Convention. An analysis of how the convention has evolved over the past 50 years suggests it has been drifting away from its original mandate in a maladaptive manner, and this drift is a problem for achieving its original objectives. A review of the strategic plans of the convention revealed two key conditions for institutional drifting and the associated lack of success. The first condition lies in its unique situation as a non-UN convention, which reduces the convention's visibility and interactivity with other biodiversity-related conventions, agencies, or programmes. The second condition is an increasing number of conventions dealing with biodiversity issues, all forcing the Ramsar Convention to seek different roles in an increasingly competitive institutional landscape. A more effective future for the convention arguably lies in reasserting its original mandate, but with cognisance of the changed environmental pressures of the twenty-first century. While this would narrow its increasingly broad focus, such a reorientation will allow wetlands and waterfowl to start a track to recovery, backed by active and focused Contracting Parties in a renewed international convention on wetland conservation, management, and sustainable use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]