Alternative policy implementation: Theoretical explanation and case analysis of local government's action logic

Since the reform and opening up, the local government has played a key role in promoting the economic and social development of our country, and the effective implementation of the local government has become an important research topic. Therefore, based on the literature, the observation method of in-depth interviews, practice investigation and participation is adopted in this paper, which focuses on the implementation of special groups of social assistance policy. The theoretical framework of government' rational choice reveals the status of local government implementation policies and behavior behind the mechanism and organizational structure. The study found that:(1) the local government is easy to choose a quantifiable policy to implement;(2) there is a coexistence between the local government departments;(3) the local government selectively meets the needs of special personnel;(4) the local government's seeking political promotion and power leads to its behavior alienation.

Implementing Open Access Policy:First case studies

When implementing open access, policy pioneers and flagship institutions alike have faced considerable challenges in meeting their own aims and achieving a recognized success. Legitimate authority, sufficient resources and the right timing are crucial, but the professionals charged with implementing policy still need several years to accomplish significant progress. This study defines a methodological standard for evaluating the first generation of open access policies. Evaluating implementation establishes evidence, enables reflection, and may foster the emergence of a second generation of open access policies.While the study is based on a small number of cases, these case studies cover most of the pioneer institutions, present the most significant issues and offer an international overview.Each case is reconstructed individually on the basis of public documents and background information, and supported by interviews with professionals responsible for open access implementation. This article presents the highlights from each case study. The results are utilized to indicate how a second generation of policies might define open access as a key component of digital research infrastructures that provide inputs and outputs for research,teaching and learning in real time.

Implementing a More Positive Employment Policy and Promoting the Development of the Chinese Human Rights Cause

Human rights refer to the basic rights to which every person is entitled based on his or her nature and dignlty under certain social and historical circumstances. Simply put, the term means that everyone has the right to live and develop in a free and equal manner.

基于史密斯政策执行过程模型的国家医保药品目录准入谈判罕见病药品落地问题及路径研究

目的基于史密斯政策执行过程模型的国家医保药品目录准入谈判(以下简称“国谈”)罕见病药品落地的关键和难点,探索罕见病药品在进入国家基本医疗保险和工伤保险药品目录后政策实施过程中存在的问题并提出对策建议。方法通过文献复习和政策梳理、专家访谈、焦点小组访谈收集资料,结合史密斯政策执行过程模型的理论框架从多角度探索国谈罕见病药品政策执行情况的现状、问题以及解决方案。结果目前我国罕见病药品行业管理尚处于初级阶段;医疗服务提供方在意识、管理等方面仍存在不足;罕见病药品保障渠道有待优化,医疗保险支付机制尚不完善。结论建议进一步加强行业管理,提升罕见病用药保障;加强医疗服务提供方能力建设,取消罕见病用药考核限制;畅通罕见病用药保障渠道,完善医疗保险支付机制。

An Overview of Hydropower and Biomass Use in Mozambique

Mozambique is doing well in its implementation of renewable energies (green energies), and this is a positive move as it sees to the protection of the environment, reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases, and the reduction of the country’s reliance on foreign fuels which are expensive and an economic burden on a country with an extremely high poverty index in Africa. Green energies like hydropower, solar energy and biomass are already in use with biomass leading, followed by hydropower. This paper explores and analyses the use of hydropower and biomass in Mozambique with the focus being on the extent of their use in the country and the impacts associated with their use. It also aims to look at policies that have been implemented to promote the use of these renewable sources of energy, and it discusses the success of the implementation of these policies and if they have helped in making the use of biomass and hydropower sustainable. The environmental impact of the use of green energies is minimum if compared to fossil fuels but this paper aims to show that there is concern in their use, especially the use of Biomass as there is little consideration being given to its environmental footprint. Mozambique has great potential for hydropower and bioenergy, but potential does not depict the reality as there are several issues to consider before the implementation of such in a developing country like Mozambique and this work explores the existence of issues that affect or hinder the growth and the sustainability of the use Biomass and Hydropower, and this is crucial in policy revision and implementation.

Analyzing the Effectiveness of Policy Implementation at the Local Level: A Case Study of Management of the 2009–2010 Drought in Yunnan Province, China

Several research efforts have focused primarily on policy implementation and improving innovative actions to address disaster risks. Discussions are ongoing on how to measure the effectiveness of policy implementation at the local level. But there is no definitive theory of effective policy implementation, and very few frameworks have been found acceptable as the basis of an analysis of the effectiveness of policy implementation, especially on droughts. Based on the 2009–2010 extreme drought in Yunnan, China, this article presents a modified framework to assess the effectiveness of policy implementation by defining policy, practice, and performance, as well as a feedback loop by which to share the lessons learned. Water conservancy projects in Luliang County and the agricultural diversity program in Longyang County in Yunnan Province were analyzed from a farmers' perspective. It was found that farmers are highly dependent on government policies and projects, and the effectiveness of policies is measured by short-term, immediate, and tangible benefits rather than long-term adaptation strategies. The results highlight the urgent need to reduce risks by developing better awareness about climate change and drought and its impacts, increased understanding of drought hazards, and implementation of appropriate measures for long-term adaptation.

Structural constraints and its countermeasures to contiguous poor areas with particular difficulties: An case study on southern Shaanxi immigration project

Immigration relocation of the poor in rural areas is an effective targeted measure to help people out of poverty in the new normal. The structural constraints lie in the heavy pressure of land resources and environmental carrying capacity, high cost of immigration settlement and delayed counterpart funds, insufficient industrial support and difficulty in living-making. To realize the goal of targeted poverty alleviation, it demands determination and capability from the policy designer, as well the social basis. The effect imposed by the structural constraints to implementation of such policy should be paid adequate attention by public sectors. It is supposed to change the guiding direction of the policy timely and to relieve financial burden of immigration settlement and resource environmental bearing capacity through mechanism of joint efforts from internal and more external support.

China's Energy Reduction Policy System:Outcomes and Responses of Local Governments

The paper examines the outcomes of and responses to the policy system （the ＂obligatory indicator system＂） used by the Chinese central government to induce provincial governments to meet energy-saving targets during the llth Five Year Plan. The institutional mechanisms underlying the policy system that promotes implementation of energy saving are identified. An analytical framework is developed to identify the strategic responses of provincial governments and the factors shaping their responses. Comprehensive sets of provincial data on economic and energy performance are collected and analyzed. The findings indicate that the central government ＇s credible commitment to implement the policy system drove the initially disparate attitudes of provinces to a converged outcome. However, the outcome is significantly constrained by provinces ＇ initial energy intensity. In particular, provincial governments have applied strategies of ceremonial implementation, efficiency-oriented efforts and effectiveness-focused efforts to attain specific targets. This paper discusses the implications in comparison with the modified obligatory indicator system in the 12th Five Year Plan and offers policy suggestions accordingly.

Evaluation of the Canadian government policies on controlling the COVID-19 outbreaks

In this paper,we investigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and evaluate the Canadian gov-ernment policies on controlling COVID-19 outbreaks.The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Ontario on 25 January 2020.Since then,there have been over million cases by now.During this time period,the federal,provincial and local governments have implemented regulations and policies in order to control the pandemic.To evaluate these government policies,which may be done by analysing the infection rate,infection period and reproductive number of COVID-19,we approach the problem by introducing an extended susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed(SEIR)model and conduct the model inference by using the iterated filter ensemble adjustment Kalman filter(IF-EAKF)algorithm.We first divide the time period into phases according to the policy intensities in each province by segmenting the time period from 4 March 2020 to 31 Octo-ber 2020 into three time phases:the exploding phase,the strict policy implementation phase,and the provincial reopening phase.We then use IF-EAKF algorithm to obtain the estimates of the model parameters.We show that the infection rate in the second phase is lower than that in both first and third phases.We also discuss the number of new COVID-19 cases under different policy intensities and different policy durations in the third wave of the pandemic.

Emergence and Development of Health Risk Communication Networks Among Street-Level Health Bureaucrats During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis in Myanmar

Street-level health bureaucrats have actively contributed to implementing the COVID-19 prevention,control,and treatment policies of the Myanmar government.However,the need for bureaucrats on the frontlines of policy implementation to maintain a safe distance from others to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has posed challenges for the sharing and exchange of information related to health risks.In this context,this study examined what health risk communication patterns have emerged and developed among streetlevel health bureaucrats during the COVID-19 pandemic,and how this risk communication has been affected by streetlevel health bureaucrats'perceptions of client meaningfulness and willingness to implement COVID-19 policies.The results reveal that street-level health bureaucrats in the health risk communication network are embedded in reciprocally or transitively connected discussion relationships that sustain their health risk communication over time.Moreover,when specific healthcare staffmembers perceive more benefits of COVID-19 policies for their patients and are more willing to care for patients,other healthcare staffavoid them to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection.Due to their higher level of understanding of the adopted measures,healthcare staffmembers who are highly willing to implement COVID-19 policies are frequently approached by other staffmembers to communicate about COVID-19 issues.This study empirically contributes to the literature on street-level bureaucrats in times of pandemic crisis by examining the formation of health risk communications in the context of street-level health bureaucrats'responses to and participation in public healthcare policy implementation processes.

Defining,Explaining and,then,Exploiting the Elusive Concept of"Governance"

The concept of“governance”has become omnipresent in the lexicon of politics and political science.It has very quickly acquired many different meanings,but its most important property seems to be its capacity to serve as a substitute for“government”.The former is(allegedly)good,and the latter is(allegedly)bad.In this essay,I explore the definition,the presumptions and the utility of governance.I conclude that it can make an important contribution of our understanding of the increasingly complex process of making and implementing public policies,but not as a substitute for government.

Investigating Equity-Minded Migrant Education Policies in Shanghai From Migrant Parents’ Perspectives

Purpose:This article aims to explore how suburban public schools in Shanghai of China have implemented the top-down equity-minded migrant policies of free compulsory education and equal access to public education.Design/Approach/Methods:This qualitative study focuses on public schools in the suburb of Shanghai,one of the top migrant-receiving metropolitan cities in China.Using personal network,referral,snowballing,and“guerrilla interviewing,”the researcher recruited 13 migrant parents that represent 11 cities of 9 provinces and collected interview data between early January and late June of 2015.Data sources include 10 face-to-face interviews,3 telephone interviews,6 follow-up interviews,and supplementary policy documents.Findings:It finds that local public schools have fully implemented free compulsory education,but have not supported equal access,revealing an inconsistent and arbitrary policy enactment pattern.Although all the interviewees have worked and lived in Shanghai for an average of 10 years,only those that afford a real property,receive exceptions,or have personal connections can have children enrolled in public schools.Further,parents’perceptions of the policy implementation vary across cases with most of them not demonstrating an awareness of education equality.Originality/Value:This study synthesizes stories shared by migrant parents and reports an interesting policy implementation pattern.It contributes to the field of migrant education study and confirms that top-down equity-minded reform is likely to encounter challenges.