The paper presents a comparative analysis of the "Youth Guarantee Plan" implemented by two Italian regions: Emilia Romagna and Sicily. Within the tradition of the sociology of public action, the study proposes a de...The paper presents a comparative analysis of the "Youth Guarantee Plan" implemented by two Italian regions: Emilia Romagna and Sicily. Within the tradition of the sociology of public action, the study proposes a deepening of the institutional and cognitive analysis of public policies. From the comparison, two distinct models of public action emerge: The first model that implemented by the Emilia Romagna Region, appears more procedural and more founded on the involvement of institutions present in the territory (employment centres, universities, chambers of commerce, professional bodies), whilst the second model, implemented by the Sicily Region, seems founded mainly on the emphasis placed on the economistic definition of the policy. From the study, most of all, the processes through which the distinct regional public actions succeed in interpreting the innovative potential of the Youth Guarantee Plan and the relations existing between the effectiveness of the policies and the collective meanings that institutions and individuals assign to them, emerge.展开更多
Based on the panel data of 28 provinces in the year of 1987-2001, this paper examines the effects of the local government investment on economic growth and employment. The empirical result shows that the local governm...Based on the panel data of 28 provinces in the year of 1987-2001, this paper examines the effects of the local government investment on economic growth and employment. The empirical result shows that the local government investment plays a significant positive role in economic growth and employment. However, while the proportion of local government investment to GDP had a remarkable rise after 1998, the elasticity of local government investment on economic growth declined, which shows that there is a big room for raising the efficiency of local government investment. Moreover. the empirieal examination shows that although local government investment had positive effect on employment, the elasticity had a decrease after 1994 when the tax-sharing system reform was put into practice. This shows that the positive role of local government investment on employment is also limited This paper argues that the role of local governments as investors must be weakened, and local governments of different levels should lessen direct economic intervention and concentrate on public regulation.展开更多
The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs...The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and agribusiness in the agriculture job market. This paper traces: (1) the employment of agricultural graduates in the last 10 years in Mali, Republic of Congo, Ghana, and the Gambia; and (2) through a case study, assesses the attitudinal and mindset change in the way research for development is conducted by research staff of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) of the Gambia. Not surprisingly, the public sector consistently employed more agricultural graduates in all four countries. The next highest employer of agricultural graduates was the NGOs, followed by agribusiness. Positive attitudinal and mindset change among research staff and their collaborators in the Gambia was enhanced when collaborative learning and coaching and mentoring in managerial and financial skills enhancement complemented technical skills improvements. Employers indicated strong preference for graduates in agricultural engineering and farm machinery; agricultural economics with emphasis on farm management; innovation systems and value chains; and information communication technology including report writing. Farmers' organizations showed particular interest in interpersonal skills; participatory technology development and dissemination; and appreciation of socio-cultural contexts including farmer innovations. In Mali, Ghana and the Gambia, employers reported that 4%-14% of the agricultural graduates they hired were women.展开更多
文摘The paper presents a comparative analysis of the "Youth Guarantee Plan" implemented by two Italian regions: Emilia Romagna and Sicily. Within the tradition of the sociology of public action, the study proposes a deepening of the institutional and cognitive analysis of public policies. From the comparison, two distinct models of public action emerge: The first model that implemented by the Emilia Romagna Region, appears more procedural and more founded on the involvement of institutions present in the territory (employment centres, universities, chambers of commerce, professional bodies), whilst the second model, implemented by the Sicily Region, seems founded mainly on the emphasis placed on the economistic definition of the policy. From the study, most of all, the processes through which the distinct regional public actions succeed in interpreting the innovative potential of the Youth Guarantee Plan and the relations existing between the effectiveness of the policies and the collective meanings that institutions and individuals assign to them, emerge.
文摘Based on the panel data of 28 provinces in the year of 1987-2001, this paper examines the effects of the local government investment on economic growth and employment. The empirical result shows that the local government investment plays a significant positive role in economic growth and employment. However, while the proportion of local government investment to GDP had a remarkable rise after 1998, the elasticity of local government investment on economic growth declined, which shows that there is a big room for raising the efficiency of local government investment. Moreover. the empirieal examination shows that although local government investment had positive effect on employment, the elasticity had a decrease after 1994 when the tax-sharing system reform was put into practice. This shows that the positive role of local government investment on employment is also limited This paper argues that the role of local governments as investors must be weakened, and local governments of different levels should lessen direct economic intervention and concentrate on public regulation.
文摘The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and agribusiness in the agriculture job market. This paper traces: (1) the employment of agricultural graduates in the last 10 years in Mali, Republic of Congo, Ghana, and the Gambia; and (2) through a case study, assesses the attitudinal and mindset change in the way research for development is conducted by research staff of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) of the Gambia. Not surprisingly, the public sector consistently employed more agricultural graduates in all four countries. The next highest employer of agricultural graduates was the NGOs, followed by agribusiness. Positive attitudinal and mindset change among research staff and their collaborators in the Gambia was enhanced when collaborative learning and coaching and mentoring in managerial and financial skills enhancement complemented technical skills improvements. Employers indicated strong preference for graduates in agricultural engineering and farm machinery; agricultural economics with emphasis on farm management; innovation systems and value chains; and information communication technology including report writing. Farmers' organizations showed particular interest in interpersonal skills; participatory technology development and dissemination; and appreciation of socio-cultural contexts including farmer innovations. In Mali, Ghana and the Gambia, employers reported that 4%-14% of the agricultural graduates they hired were women.