Suchergebnisse

Die Unternehmen der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft sehen sich aktuell mit einer Vielzahl von gesetzlichen und marktbedingten Anforderungen an die Qualität, Hygiene und Unbedenklichkeit ihrer Produkte sowie Prozesse konfrontiert. Einige pro-aktive Unternehmen versuchen darüber hinaus, weitergehende Qualitätszusagen als Option einer strategischen Wettbewerbsdifferenzierung zu nutzen. Externe Anforderungen und pro-aktive Qualitätsinitiativen haben eine Entwicklung weg vom lediglich einzelbetrieblich fokussierten, operativen Qualitätsmanagement hin zu einer inter-organisatorischen und strategisch ausgerichteten Abstimmung der Qualitätsproduktion eingeleitet. Die Abstimmung wird angesichts der vielfältigen Interdependenzen innerhalb der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft unumgänglich. Die Interdependenzen stellen gleichzeitig ein Hauptproblem des strategischen Qualitätsmanagements in Netzwerken dar. Sie führen zu komplexen und risikobehafteten Entscheidungssituationen beim Aufbau strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke. Die daraus resultierende unternehmerische Gestaltungsunsicherheit verlangt die Entwicklung eines komplexitätsreduzierenden Instrumentariums zur Entscheidungs- und Handlungsunterstützung. Die vorliegende Arbeit leistet die Entwicklung dieses Instrumentariums in Form einer stufigen Vorgehensweise. In einem ersten Schritt erfolgt die Entwicklung eines Referenzmodells, das die Gestaltungsfelder strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke aufbereitet, strukturiert und segmentiert. In einer zweiten Phase dient das Referenzmodell als Rahmen für die Analyse bestehender sowie in der Entwicklung begriffener Qualitätsnetzwerke in der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft. Typische Gestaltungsmuster und Entscheidungskriterien strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke werden so herausgefiltert. Aufbauend auf dem Referenzmodell wird in einem dritten Schritt ein phasenorientiertes Vorgehenskonzept für die Implementierung strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke entwickelt. Es integriert die Teilentscheidungen beim Aufbau strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke in einen logischen Gestaltungsablauf. Die Validierung des Referenzmodells und des Vorgehenskonzepts wird am Beispiel der Getreidewirtschaft vorgenommen. Die Charakteristika des Sektors machen die Implementierung und die Organisation von strategischen Qualitätsnetzwerken zu einer besonderen Herausforderung. Die Komplexität des Forschungsvorhabens bedingt zudem die Anwendung eines umfangreichen Methodensets. Daher wird entlang des gesamten Forschungsverlaufs Rückgriff auf eine Fallstudienreihe, quantitative Befragungen, Expertenpanels, eine eigenständig entwickelte, empirische Informations- und Kommunikationsplattform und Literaturanalysen genommen. Nur auf diese Weise kann gewährleistet werden, dass Anwendern ein in der Praxis erprobtes und bewährtes Instrumentarium zur Bewältigung der Gestaltungskomplexität strategischer Qualitätsnetzwerke zur Verfügung gestellt wird. ; Strategic Quality Management in Networks : Development of a Reference Model taking the Grain Industry as an example Enterprises of the agro-food sector presently have to deal with a multitude of legislative as well as market-related requirements on quality, hygiene and safety of their products and processes. Furthermore, some pro-active companies try to make use of advanced quality warranties for reasons of strategic differentiation. External demands and pro-active quality initiatives both have led to a development from solely enterprise specific, operative quality management regimes towards an inter-organisational and strategically oriented coordination of quality production. This coordination is inevitable due to the manifold interdependencies in the agro-food sector. At the same time, these interdependencies are a major problem of strategic quality management in networks. They result in complex and fraught-with-risk decision situations when establishing strategic quality networks. The resulting organizational uncertainty of enterprises calls for the development of a tool box for decision and operation support, which reduces existing complexities. The dissertation on hand achieves the development of this tool box in a stepwise approach. In a first step, a reference model is developed, which systematizes, structures and segments the design dimensions of strategic quality networks. In a second phase, the reference model provides a framework for the analyses of existing quality networks in the agro-food sector and of inter-organisational quality structures, which are under way. In doing so, typical orga-nisational patterns and decision criteria of strategic quality networks can be extracted. In a third step, taking the reference model as a basis, a phase-oriented concept of procedure for the evolution of strategic quality networks is developed. The concept integrates specific decisions in the course of the implementation of strategic quality networks into a logical organisation path. Reference model and concept of procedure are validated taking the grain industry as an example. Sector characteristics impose severe challenges on the implementation and organisation of strategic quality networks. In addition, the complexity of the research approach calls for application of a comprehensive method set. From there, a set of case studies, quantitative surveys, expert panels, a self-developed, empirical information and communication platform, and literature surveys are used along the whole research process. Only by applying this approach, it is possible to provide a field-tested and field-proved tool box for coping with organisational complexities of strategic quality networks to practice.

данной работе мы условно будем называть «карабахской стратегией» Азербай-джана всю совокупность подходов, концепций и взглядов руководства этой стра-ны, способы политического, военного, экономического, коммуникационного ииного воздействия, которые осуществляет официальный Баку в отношении кНагорному Карабаху и Армении. Составной частью указанной «стратегии непря-мых действий» Азербайджана также следует считать его информационно-пропа-гандистские, экономические и военно-политические инициативы (сознательныеили неосознанные), адресованные вовлеченным в процесс карабахского урегули-рования странам и международным организациям.Именно анализу особенностей и реального потенциала трех ключевых эле-ментов «карабахской стратегии» Азербайджана – информационно-политическоговоздействия, нефтяных доходов и милитаризации региона – и посвящена даннаяработа. Для более детального понимания проблемы в работе приводится такжесравнительный анализ ситуации с учетом имеющегося мирового опыта военно-политических процессов в аналогичных локальных вооруженных конфликтах – вчастности, на примере арабо-израильского противостояния. ; Bulk analysis of situation on Karabakh conflict makes a ground to assert about lackof convergence in approaches and negative attitude of the conflicting parties to compromisesand mutual concessions. The level of hypothetical maximal concessions, towhich may as a matter of fact be ready any of the conflicting parties in course of negotiations,does not at all correspond to minimum expectations the society and eliteof the other party has as a necessary precondition for "fair" (according to them) conflictsettlement.From the other hand, both internal constraints in the face of principle positionof leading powers and international community and the current military-politicaland military-technical balance on the present stage certainly restrain resumption ofmilitary operations in the conflict zone. However, Armenian-Azerbaijani vigorousconfrontation is not lessened, it just steps into another stage, that's to say to onesided"peripheral" operations – stirring up arms race, making use of time factor, forceblackmail, attempting to weaken the opposing party economically and psychologicallyand forcing unilateral concessions etc. These steps are mainly initiated by revengingmoods in Azerbaijan, which as a result of military operations, considers itselfto be the aggrieved party.In spite of terminological complexity of giving the definition of the word"strategy," in the very article we will conditionally call the complex of approaches,conceptions and standpoints of that country's authorities, political, military, economic,communication and other means of influence carried out by official Baku toNagorno-Karabakh and Armenia "Karabakh strategy" of Azerbaijan. The componentpart of the mentioned "strategy of divert operations" of Azerbaijan is also to be consideredits information propagandistic, economic and military-political initiative(deliberate or not deliberate) addressed to the countries involved in the Karabakhconflict settlement process and international organizations.One of the most important elements of the very policy of Azerbaijan is open andpublic threats to resume military operations, which exerts influence on the psychologicalconflict perception of both western powers and international organizations andcertain circles inside the Armenian political elite. Force blackmail is displayed both inthe announcements of state and political figures of quite different levels of Azerbaijanand prevails in moods and estimations among most of the Azerbaijani political eliteand large sections of the public. Moreover, not much openness and greater centralization(in comparison with Armenia) of Azerbaijani society and political sphere makethis position almost without any alternatives in perception of the conflict and ways ofits settlement in Baku. Additional argumentation of Azerbaijan's policy in the opinionof its authorities and political elite is unjustified high expectations from the role of oilfactor and desire to impose arms race on Armenia and Karabakh.This article is devoted to the analysis of peculiarities and the real potential ofthe three key elements of Azerbaijan's "Karabakh strategy" – information-politicalinfluence, oil incomes and militarization of the region. For more detailed perceptionof the problem in the article is also made a contrastive analysis of the situation takinginto consideration the world experience of military political processes in analogicallocal armed conflicts.

Les collines Subhumides de l'Ouest Cameroun étaient autrefois couvertes de forêts semi-décidues. Les peuples Bamiléké et Bamoun qui les ont colonisées, les ont en grande partie défrichées. À partir de la moitié du XXe siècle, l'administration forestière s'est inquiétée de la disparition des derniers lambeaux de végétation naturelle ainsi que du manque de bois de feu et de construction pour les populations. Des réserves forestières ont été crées et des plantations réalisées, en majorité avec des espèces exotiques, pour la production de bois d'oeuvre (pins), de perches et de bois de feu (eucalyptus) et pour l'ombrage des plantations de café (leucaena). Les paysans ont, pour leur part, clôturé leurs champs à l'aide de haies-vives, où ils ont installé différentes espèces arborées ou arbustives locales faciles à bouturer ou à repiquer. À l'intérieur de leurs cultures et autour de leurs habitations, ils ont conservé ou planté des espèces à usages multiples provenant des forêts naturelles ou de pépinière. Un demi-siècle plus tard, on constate que les reboisements effectués par l'État et les réserves forestières ont le plus souvent été détruits par le feu ou défrichés par la population. Par contre, dans l'espace cultivé, on trouve un patchwork de formations forestières ou agroforestières constituées en majorité d'un grand nombre d'espèces prélevées dans la forêt originelle. On peut par exemple, trouver des haies-vives de Polyscias fulva, espèce utilisée pour la sculpture. Près des maisons les Canarium schweinfurthii sont mélangés aux palmiers à huile et à toutes sortes de fruitiers locaux ou exotiques. Dans les bas-fonds, les raphiales ont été conservées et sont intensivement utilisés pour la fabrication d'objets divers (meubles, plafonds, cageots etc.) et la production du vin de raphia. Plus étonnant encore, on trouve chez certains agriculteurs des plantations d'espèces de bois d'oeuvre comme Entandrophragma sp.p. et Podocarpus milanjianus. Parmi les espèces exotiques, le pin n'a pas été adopté par les agriculteurs, en raison de la médiocre qualité de son bois, peu résistant aux champignons et aux insectes dans ce climat chaud et humide. L'eucalyptus a connu un très beau développement en milieu paysan, en raison de sa rusticité, de sa vitesse de croissance, de sa capacité de rejet, de sa résistance au feu et de ses usages multiples (bois de feu, perches, poteaux, sciages, pharmacopée). Les Leucaena ont pratiquement disparu avec les caféières et leur intérêt pour la fixation d'azote n'a pas été perçu par les paysans qui préfèrent utiliser de l'engrais ou associer leur culture avec des légumineuses herbacées comestibles (haricots, pois, niébé). On constate donc que les agriculteurs de cette région ont développé leur propre stratégie en matière de conservation des ressources végétales forestières de façon très indépendante par rapport aux recommandations ou aux ordres de l'administration forestière et des organismes de recherche. En fait, on peut dire qu'ils ont une vision très utilitaire et très pragmatique de la forêt: chacun conserve ou reconstitue, sur ses terrains, un agroécosystème qui satisfait au mieux à sa stratégie, à ses possibilités et à ses besoins. Le message unique et stéréotypé de l'administration et des projets, souvent porteur d'une idéologie (sauver la forêt, lutter contre la désertification, protéger l'eau et les sols, conserver la biodiversité, fixer le carbone, etc.), ne peut convenir à tout le monde. Il faut cependant remarquer que les initiatives paysannes individuelles ne sont pas souvent soutenues par l'administration et que leur diffusion est souvent bloquée par des lois protectionnistes mal adaptées ou mal interprétées. Par exemple, un agriculteur peut exploiter librement les eucalyptus qu'il a plantés mais pas les Entandrophragma ou les Canarium pour lesquels il devrait obtenir un permis d'abattage, après de lourdes et coûteuses démarches. Certaines espèces fruitières agroforestières sont même intégralement

This article shows, in a general manner, the problems that are currently felt worldwide and that have been increasing year after year in the Costa Rican society, for which figures are alarming and regardless of age, sex, religion, social status, affect different social areas which look after everyone's wellbeing. These problems that lead to endless fatal consequences: car accidents. This "outbreak" as the WHO (World Health Organization) calls them, has been for decades a silent disease, for which solutions are hard to find, solutions that will put an end to many consequences it leaves on its wake, regardless of the efforts of many governmental institutions. Thus, the development of an initiative is intended in this work, from a perspective that will lead to the search for solutions. These solutions must come from the root of our culture, through continuous, integral education since an early age. The task, without a doubt, corresponds to all who are part of the problem, but the vision and mission to educate citizens aware of their rights, without overlooking their duties in harmony with their surroundings, based on principles that show a more responsible and safe society, corresponds to the Costa Rican Educational System, along with several entities that are part of this situation. This has the objective of finding in continuous and systematic education, an effective tool that in the long term will decrease the statistic figures of deaths in the street, due to negligence or human error cause of the highest incidence of traffic accidents. This could be possible through education in and for traffic culture, with the policies and the ideology to respect life, in search of the common good. ; Este artículo muestra de manera general la problemática que actualmente se vive a nivel mundial, y que ha venido aumentado año tras año en la sociedad costarricense, con cifras alarmantes donde la edad, el sexo, el credo, status social no escapan a tal situación, y que afecta las diferentes áreas sociales que velan por el bienestar de todos, una problemática que desencadena un sin fin de consecuencias fatales: los accidentes de tránsito. Esta epidemia como la llama la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud), ha sido desde ya hace décadas una enfermedad silenciosa, donde no se encuentran soluciones eficaces que acaben con tantas secuelas que deja a su paso, a pesar del esfuerzo de muchas instituciones del país. Es así como se pretende desarrollar una iniciativa desde una perspectiva que oriente la búsqueda de soluciones, desde las raíces de nuestra cultura, por medio de una formación integral continua desde edades tempranas. Esta tarea sin lugar a dudas le corresponde a todos los que somos partícipes, pero la visión y misión de formar ciudadanos concientes de sus derechos, sin olvidar sus deberes en armonía con lo que le rodea desde principios que demuestran una sociedad más responsable y segura, le corresponde al sistema educativo costarricense, en conjunto con las diversas entidades que de una u otra forma son parte de esta situación. Esto con el objetivo de encontrar en la educación continua y sistemática, una herramienta efectiva que a mediano o largo plazo logre disminuir las estadísticas de muertes en carretera, por la negligencia o error humano, causa de mayor incidencia en los accidentes de tránsito, por medio de una formación en y para una cultura vial, cuya política e ideología sea respetar la vida en la búsqueda del bienestar común.

[ES] El acceso a la cultura se ha dedicado, como uno de los derechos fundamentales de los ciudadanos de los años 50 del siglo XX. Aunque el concepto de la cultura y las formas en que esta se materializa han sido sometidos a cambios permanentes en todo el tiempo, su carácter central en la formación del ciudadano y en el desarrollo de la sociedad y los individuos se ha mantenido invariable, como un elemento esencial en el presente tiempo. La conservación de los productos culturales y el acceso a los mismos por parte de toda la población constituye un imperativo de ineludible cumplimiento por parte de todas las administraciones. El problema surge, por una parte, cuando con la aparición de nuevas tecnologías informativas de la cultura las formas de los productos apara difícil un segmento de la población, causando la denominada brecha digital, y por otro, cuando el árbol nonprehorseradish adaptado los sistemas de conservación para que la producción cultural, impidiendo que se lleva a cabo la transmisión intergeneracional que está en la base de cualquier manifestación cultural que aspira a convertirse en la memoria histórica de su tiempo. La UNESCO ha desarrollado recientemente en el programa de preservación del patrimonio digital (mayo de 2004) tendientes a garantizar la conservación del patrimonio digital de la humanidad, hasta el en gran medida perdido presente para las generaciones futuras. Esta contribución trata de reflexionar sobre un problema que esta en el centro del debate sobre el acceso de los ciudadanos a la cultura, el análisis de las iniciativas ya tomadas por parte de los diferentes países y los retos a los que hay que responder para que, la Unión Europea se comprometa en programas comunes. ; [EN] The access to the culture has been devoted like one of the fundamental rights of the citizens from years 50 of century XX. Although the concept of culture and the forms in which this is materialized have undergone permanent changes throughout the time, its central character in the formation of the citizen and in the development of the society and the individuals it has remained like invariable an essential to the present time. The conservation of cultural products and the access to them on the part of all the population constitute an imperative of inescapable fulfillment on the part of all the administrations. The problem arises, on the one hand, when with the appearance of new informative technologies the culture shapes in products difficult apara a segment of the population, causing the denominated digital breach, and by another one, when nonprehorseradish tree adapted systems of conservation for that cultural production, preventing that takes place the intergenerational transmission that is in the base of any cultural manifestation that aspires to become historical memory of its time. UNESCO has recently developed to the program of Preservation of Digital Heritage (greater of 2004) tending to guarantee the conservation of the digital patrimony of the humanity, until the to a great extent lost present for future generations. This contribution tries to reflect on a problem that this in center of the debate on the access of the citizens to a the culture, analyzing the initiatives already undertaken on the part of different countries and the challenges to which there are to respond so that, from the European Union undertakes common programs.

There is quite a number of articles and studies on public administration ethics, nevertheless, one important element is missing in the context of research of public administration ethics and that is ethics infrastructure. There are no many investigations into the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and if there are any, they are of general character and touch upon the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and its basic elements only in general outline. This is the reason why the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and the basic elements of its macro level have been chosen as a subject of research. It is presumed that the aforesaid ethical problems and ethical violations are also determined by the ethics infrastructure of the country's macro level. The project is aimed at ascertaining the correspondence between the elements and an ideal model, the relation between the ideal model and the actual situation of Lithuania by presenting the image of the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania. An attempt is made at giving an answer if the problems of ethics infrastructure elements cause the functional problems of macro level ethics infrastructure, which elements have effect, what gaps in problematic elements originate disfunctiality problems and how the system is functioning. The functionality is defined as correspondence to an ideal model. A dependent variable is the functionality of the macro level ethics infrastructure. Independent variables are the basic elements of the country's macro level ethics infrastructure and their condition. The following main hypotheses were put forward: 1. The functional problems of the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania are caused by some macro level elements and the main gaps in the elements determine the functional problems of the system; 2. The aspect of elements relation having effect on the system functionality is important. Both the first and the second hypothesis have been proved in the project. Correspondence between the model and actual practice exists only in two elements, i.e. in the established legal basis and the major state institutions of ethics supervision. Other elements do not function in the way it is established in the ideal model. The legal basis, i.e. the first element of the macro level ethics infrastructure, corresponds to the ideal model. The ethical standards, values and principles prescribed by acts of law of the country are also in compliance with public expectations. However, the main problem as far as this is concerned remains non-concurrence in the scales of values of the society and public servants. The element of active civil society is not well functioning, either, the society keeps away from this role and remains a passive observer. Notwithstanding a broad section of different groups, associations and non-governmental organizations, they are weak and marginal. The society still believes that ethical problems are "second-rate" and settlement of them shall be the matter of separate state institutions. The initiative is taken only by single citizens, no collective actions exist. The political leaders' attention to ethics bears the cyclical nature. Though the problems of officials and politicians' ethics are emphasized by the society (from the outside) and the politicians themselves (from the inside), the interest is not great when the ethical problems are raised only by one or another politician. Taking the model into account it may be stated that the existing possibilities are not fully used, not all the elements are included and the aforesaid gaps cause the problems that determine partial functionality of the system.

For decades since the formation of the defense establishment under the 1947 National Security Act, all U.S. cabinet departments, national security agencies, and military services involved in providing for the common defense have struggled to overcome differences in policy and strategy formulation, organizational cultures, and even basic terminology. Post-September 11, 2001, international systems, security environments, U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the greater Global War on Terrorism have confronted civilian policymakers and senior military officers with a complex, fluid battlefield which demands kinetic and counterinsurgency capabilities. This monograph addresses the security, stability, transition, and reconstruction missions that place the most pressure on interagency communication and coordination. The results from Kabul to Baghdad reveal that the interagency process is in need of reform and that a more robust effort to integrate and align civilian and military elements is a prerequisite for success. ; ".The Bush School and the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute sponsored a research symposium to outline interagency policy issues and craft recommendations. The symposium, entitled 'The interagency process in support and stability operations: the integration and alignment of military and civilian roles and missions,' was held on April 5-6, 2007, at Texas A&M University . the majority of the concerns, questions, and ideas discussed during the symposium are articulated and expanded upon in the following chapters" -- Preface. ; "December 2007." ; Includes bibliographical references (p. 575-588) ; Introduction -- I. Issues and challenges in support and stability operations -- 1. Challenges in support and stability operations: why each one is different -- 2. Presidential Decision Directive-56: a glass half full -- 3. A "Peace Corps with guns": can the military be a tool of development? -- Pt. II. Case studies and field experiences -- 4. The perils of planning: lessons from Afghanistan and Iraq -- 5. U.S. provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan, 2003-2006: obstacles to interagency cooperation -- 6. The interagency process in reconstruction of post-World II Japan -- 7. An alternative view: Sri Lanka's experience with an enduring insurgency -- Pt. III. Learning, innovation, and new initiatives -- 8. The exquisite problem of victory: measuring success in unconventional operations -- 9. The failure of incrementalism: interagency coordination challenges and responses -- 10. Interagency reform: an idea whose time has come -- 11. Strategic communication: interagency rhetoric and consistent interpretation -- Pt. IV. Leadership, education, training, and development for interagency operations -- 12. Bridging the gap: integrating civilian-military capabilities in security and reconstruction operations -- 13. Training, education, and leader development for the national security interagency -- 14. Leadership education and training for the interagency -- 15. The influence of stability operations on the Army profession and public management -- 16. Counterinsurgency doctrine FM 3-24 and Operation Iraqi Freedom: a bottom-up review -- 17. What is to be done?: aligning and integrating the interagency process in support and stability operations. ; For decades since the formation of the defense establishment under the 1947 National Security Act, all U.S. cabinet departments, national security agencies, and military services involved in providing for the common defense have struggled to overcome differences in policy and strategy formulation, organizational cultures, and even basic terminology. Post-September 11, 2001, international systems, security environments, U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the greater Global War on Terrorism have confronted civilian policymakers and senior military officers with a complex, fluid battlefield which demands kinetic and counterinsurgency capabilities. This monograph addresses the security, stability, transition, and reconstruction missions that place the most pressure on interagency communication and coordination. The results from Kabul to Baghdad reveal that the interagency process is in need of reform and that a more robust effort to integrate and align civilian and military elements is a prerequisite for success. ; Mode of access: Internet.

There is quite a number of articles and studies on public administration ethics, nevertheless, one important element is missing in the context of research of public administration ethics and that is ethics infrastructure. There are no many investigations into the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and if there are any, they are of general character and touch upon the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and its basic elements only in general outline. This is the reason why the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania and the basic elements of its macro level have been chosen as a subject of research. It is presumed that the aforesaid ethical problems and ethical violations are also determined by the ethics infrastructure of the country's macro level. The project is aimed at ascertaining the correspondence between the elements and an ideal model, the relation between the ideal model and the actual situation of Lithuania by presenting the image of the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania. An attempt is made at giving an answer if the problems of ethics infrastructure elements cause the functional problems of macro level ethics infrastructure, which elements have effect, what gaps in problematic elements originate disfunctiality problems and how the system is functioning. The functionality is defined as correspondence to an ideal model. A dependent variable is the functionality of the macro level ethics infrastructure. Independent variables are the basic elements of the country's macro level ethics infrastructure and their condition. The following main hypotheses were put forward: 1. The functional problems of the ethics infrastructure of public administration in Lithuania are caused by some macro level elements and the main gaps in the elements determine the functional problems of the system; 2. The aspect of elements relation having effect on the system functionality is important. Both the first and the second hypothesis have been proved in the project. Correspondence between the model and actual practice exists only in two elements, i.e. in the established legal basis and the major state institutions of ethics supervision. Other elements do not function in the way it is established in the ideal model. The legal basis, i.e. the first element of the macro level ethics infrastructure, corresponds to the ideal model. The ethical standards, values and principles prescribed by acts of law of the country are also in compliance with public expectations. However, the main problem as far as this is concerned remains non-concurrence in the scales of values of the society and public servants. The element of active civil society is not well functioning, either, the society keeps away from this role and remains a passive observer. Notwithstanding a broad section of different groups, associations and non-governmental organizations, they are weak and marginal. The society still believes that ethical problems are "second-rate" and settlement of them shall be the matter of separate state institutions. The initiative is taken only by single citizens, no collective actions exist. The political leaders' attention to ethics bears the cyclical nature. Though the problems of officials and politicians' ethics are emphasized by the society (from the outside) and the politicians themselves (from the inside), the interest is not great when the ethical problems are raised only by one or another politician. Taking the model into account it may be stated that the existing possibilities are not fully used, not all the elements are included and the aforesaid gaps cause the problems that determine partial functionality of the system.

In the context of more complicated process of Lithuanian international environment it is getting more difficult to draw a line between foreign and home policy. On the traditional foreign policy agenda new items are to be seen (e.g. terrorism, international migration, etc.) obviously, new activity models are required to deal with these problems successfully. The sector of foreign policy becomes a linking chain that makes it possible to combine inner and outer environmental dynamic processes as well as to more effectively implement national interests. That is why it is extremely important to ensure the efficiency of mechanisms for forming and implementing foreign policy. The work is based on a presumption that the effective planning and management are to be indispensable condition for successful foreign policy. The aim of the work is to estimate the situation in strategic planning and management of foreign Lithuanian policy and to find out if there is any evidence of the development in this particular area. The objectives of the work are: a) to analyze the institutional structure of the strategic planning and management in the Lithuanian foreign policy; b) to investigate the contents of strategic documents; c) to identify the shortcomings in the process of strategic management as a whole and in its separate chains; d) to estimate the situation in the system of strategic management and to characterize its perspectives for future development; e) to give recommendations on how to eliminate drawbacks and encourage development in strategic planning and management. The development of strategic planning and management in Lithuanian foreign policy is limited by the following factors: a) De jure – a great gap between formally consolidated principles of strategic management of foreign policy and a real practical model in forming and implementing foreign policy. b) Bureaucratic – the absence of reciprocity between the Government and its institutions. The exchange of information and strategic initiatives is hardly noticeable and this leads to limiting the development of strategic management. c) Perceptive – the lack of strategic management culture and the dominance of incrementalism in foreign policy. The results of the analysis in strategic management support the hypothesis that the development of strategic management of foreign policy is obvious although the system itself carries some imitation elements. Institutional alterations do not go alongside with parallel changes of value. It is necessary to make changes in methods and approaches related to the work of state officers responsible for systemizing and implementing foreign policy. The development of strategic management can be ensured by applying the so called "double loop" learning model in all levels of state management. This model encourages creativity and provides the tools for long term results while a "single loop" model is able to ensure only routine approaches. The efficiency of strategic management in foreign policy might be achieved by encouraging convergence and dialectics. The basis for such a system should be cooperation among different political institutions, society and representatives of academic society. Involving intellectual resources into the process of strategic management might ensure open foreign policy to stimulate the development of "double loop" learning which in its turn might overcome the absence of strategic thinking and strategic management culture. In addition, more intensive monitoring of strategic management system as well as estimation and control on the level of Government and Parliament might serve for further long term foreign policy. Furthermore, the process might provide the feedback and practical experience thus giving a strong bases for "double loop" learning in the strategic development of foreign policy.

The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD), with initiatives to manage surface water resources, has increased the need for fast and inexpensive methods for monitoring conditions in streams. The objective of this thesis is to assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of epilithic material to become such method. NIRS, which is a technique that is commonly used in industry for process monitoring and quality control of products, registers the chemical properties of organic material on a molecular level. Epilithic material, i.e. the layer of dead and alive material that covers stone surfaces in streams, is continuously influenced by the stream water that flows over it, and it has the potential to integrate chemical and biological conditions over time. The temporal integration is a significant factor, since conditions in streams can change within hours or days. The thesis consists of two published papers. In the first paper a new sampler for epilithic material, the Stone Brusher, was described and the performance evaluated. The Stone Brusher is designed to take qualitative or semi-quantitative samples of epilithic material from stones at 7–50 cm water depth. The epilithic material is dislodged from the stone surface with a rotating brush enclosed in a chamber, and the material is drawn up directly into the sample bottle with an air-cylinder. The operator takes a sample quickly and without putting hands into the water. The sampler is made of plastic, stainless steel and aluminium and weighs 3.1 kg. It is designed to meet the demand for standardized sampling for research and environmental monitoring and to improve working conditions for sampling personnel. The equipment allows sampling from surfaces of bedrock and large stones that cannot be lifted from the bottom. Using data of near-infrared spectroscopy and diatom analyses, this new sampler was evaluated in comparison to the toothbrush method, a primitive method which is the current standard in EU. The results indicate that the Stone Brusher reduces sampling variability compared with the toothbrush method. In the second paper, the Stone Brusher was used to collect epilithic material from 65 sites (42 uncontaminated and 23 contaminated) from streams in the widespread mining area called the Skellefte-district in Västerbotten, northern Sweden, in order to test the hypothesis that impact on the epilithic material caused by emissions from mining and mining-related industries can be detected using NIRS. The epilithic material was filtered onto glass fibre filters, measured by NIRS, and the results were modelled using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The NIRS approach was evaluated by comparing it with the results of chemical and diatom analyses of the same samples. Based on PCA, the NIRS data distinguished contaminated from uncontaminated sites and performed slightly better than chemical analyses and clearly better than diatom analyses. Of the streams designated a priori as contaminated, 74 % were identified as contaminated by NIRS, 65 % by chemical analysis and 26 % by diatom analysis. Unlike chemical analyses of water or of epilithic material samples, NIRS data reflect biological impacts in the streams. Given that, and the simplicity of NIRS-analyses, further studies to assess the use of NIRS of epilithic material are justified. NIRS has the potential to become a fast method for screening in regions where large numbers of streams occur to find impacted streams or as a routine method for temporal monitoring in selected streams for early detection of environmental impact, similar to process monitoring in industry.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a new international institute has gained a firm foothold in the political life of Central Asian countries. Several large projects are currently being implemented under the SCO's auspices that can bring far-reaching changes in the region, eventually altering the balance of forces on the Eurasian continent in favor of China. The SCO's especially promising projects include a SCO free trade area, to be created by 2020, and a regional antiterrorism structure, the first of a kind in the Central Asian region. Furthermore, the SCO has started showing ambitions of a political player whose interests extend beyond the collective national interests of its member countries and have a pronounced geopolitical character. The Organization is striving to encompass the key areas of activity in Central Asia, at the same time working to consolidate the member countries' foreign policy efforts in dealing with common tasks (one example of such cooperation is the decision to bring the SCO into the peace process in Afghanistan). As of late, the Organization has been taking practical steps to become a system-forming factor, a paradigm of regional development ensuring conditions for the advancement of the Central Asian region—its security and effective interaction between its member states. There is good reason to suggest that without the SCO, these two factors in Central Asia's development would be less organized: Both security and multipartite cooperation required the establishment of a "center of gravity" in the region, such as the SCO. Today, the SCO is also an important factor in a general restructuring of interstate cooperation mechanisms, political configuration and the security situation in Central Asia, as the groundwork for a new economy is being laid. A multilateral economic and security interaction mechanism that is evolving within the SCO has a positive impact on the development of relations between individual member countries, as well as their interaction with extra-regional players and other international organizations. These relations are being built on what is seen as collective priorities. But taking into account the real role of China and Russia, the SCO initiatives require a more thorough analysis. Alongside the changes in interaction between countries in the region, the SCO has yet another important effect on the Central Asian republics and the world as a whole. The SCO "introduces" China to Central Asia as an inalienable element of regional politics and economics, strengthening its positions, and considering the SCO's ambitions and its potential as a global organization, it also provides a major channel for China in its aspiration for the role of a new regional and global power. Today Beijing has entered an active phase of using the SCO in its own interests, attempting to change the geopolitical balance and the system of internal and external relations in the Central Asian republics that have evolved over the 15 years since the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. Kazakhstan is actively involved in the SCO project, proceeding from its own national interests; but from every indication, the continuation of the "Shanghai process" will have a not entirely favorable impact on Kazakhstan's security. The negative trends that are evolving with respect to the Republic of Kazakhstan stem from the place that the PRC is striving to take in the Central Asian region, as well as the goals that the Chinese side has set itself, and that it intends to achieve through the SCO.

This article briefly display the results of the analysis and characterization of formation, transformation and urban consolidation processes in informal originated neighborhoods –urban unities– in the 90's, in Colombia main cities, by analyzing the participation of State, community and private initiative acting as social agents and so the interactions established with the components of economic, juridical - political and institutional structures as social totality integrated to the city. It also analyzes other characteristic aspects of this sort of Latin American urban processes as: the participation of social agents in the origin and formation of informal settlements and the processes of consolidation of the urban units and informal origin-low income housing in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga Manizales, Pereira, Ibagué and Cúcuta. Some of the existing conditions of public services and social equipment operation are indicated too, as well as the ways of participation of social agents in its construction and operation within the informal city; aspects relative to the quality of life represented in the socio-economical conditions of inhabitants and the ways of obtaining, financing and construction of housing and improvement of urban units are related. Consequently, an emphasis on problems of mobility and forced-displacement and its impact on urban instances and on the configuration of the informal city is made in order to present elements that let to identify the communities' cultural attitude towards city, urban units and environment. Finally, the main environmental problems generated by the implantation and development of these urban units and the environmental situation are recognized in the Colombian informal establishments. ; Este artículo presenta de manera sucinta los resultados del análisis y la caracterización de los procesos de formación, transformación y consolidación urbana en barrios de origen informal desde la década de los noventa, en las diez principales ciudades de Colombia. Analiza la participación del Estado, la comunidad y la iniciativa privada como agentes sociales, y las interacciones que existen con los componentes de la estructura económica, jurídico-política e institucional como totalidad social integrada a la ciudad. Presenta, así mismo, otros aspectos característicos de los procesos urbanos latinoamericanos como son: la participación de los agentes sociales en el origen y formación de los asentamientos informales y los procesos de consolidación de los barrios –unidades urbanas–; la vivienda de bajos ingresos de origen informal en Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Manizales, Pereira, Ibagué y Cúcuta; aspectos relativos a la formación de los asentamientos. También se señalan algunas de las condiciones de funcionamiento de los servicios públicos y los equipamientos sociales existentes, las formas de participación de los agentes sociales en su construcción y funcionamiento dentro de la ciudad informal, y se relacionan aspectos relativos a la calidad de vida representada en las condiciones socioeconómicas de los habitantes y las formas de obtención, financiación y construcción de la vivienda y relacionados con el mejoramiento de los barrios de origen informal. Se hace énfasis en los problemas de movilidad y desplazamiento forzado y su impacto en los ámbitos urbanos y en la configuración de la ciudad informal; presenta elementos que permiten identificar la mentalidad y la actitud cultural de las comunidades frente a la ciudad, las unidades urbanas y el medio ambiente, y reconoce los principales problemas ambientales generados por la implantación y el desarrollo de estas unidades urbanas en los asentamientos informales colombianos. Todos estos elementos se revelan en relación a las dinámicas y problemáticas detectadas en torno al proceso de urbanización en Colombia.

This article briefly display the results of the analysis and characterization of formation, transformation and urban consolidation processes in informal originated neighborhoods –urban unities– in the 90's, in Colombia main cities, by analyzing the participation of State, community and private initiative acting as social agents and so the interactions established with the components of economic, juridical - political and institutional structures as social totality integrated to the city. It also analyzes other characteristic aspects of this sort of Latin American urban processes as: the participation of social agents in the origin and formation of informal settlements and the processes of consolidation of the urban units and informal origin-low income housing in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga Manizales, Pereira, Ibagué and Cúcuta. Some of the existing conditions of public services and social equipment operation are indicated too, as well as the ways of participation of social agents in its construction and operation within the informal city; aspects relative to the quality of life represented in the socio-economical conditions of inhabitants and the ways of obtaining, financing and construction of housing and improvement of urban units are related. Consequently, an emphasis on problems of mobility and forced-displacement and its impact on urban instances and on the configuration of the informal city is made in order to present elements that let to identify the communities' cultural attitude towards city, urban units and environment. Finally, the main environmental problems generated by the implantation and development of these urban units and the environmental situation are recognized in the Colombian informal establishments. ; Este artículo presenta de manera sucinta los resultados del análisis y la caracterización de los procesos de formación, transformación y consolidación urbana en barrios de origen informal desde la década de los noventa, en las diez principales ciudades de Colombia. Analiza la participación del Estado, la comunidad y la iniciativa privada como agentes sociales, y las interacciones que existen con los componentes de la estructura económica, jurídico-política e institucional como totalidad social integrada a la ciudad. Presenta, así mismo, otros aspectos característicos de los procesos urbanos latinoamericanos como son: la participación de los agentes sociales en el origen y formación de los asentamientos informales y los procesos de consolidación de los barrios –unidades urbanas–; la vivienda de bajos ingresos de origen informal en Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Manizales, Pereira, Ibagué y Cúcuta; aspectos relativos a la formación de los asentamientos. También se señalan algunas de las condiciones de funcionamiento de los servicios públicos y los equipamientos sociales existentes, las formas de participación de los agentes sociales en su construcción y funcionamiento dentro de la ciudad informal, y se relacionan aspectos relativos a la calidad de vida representada en las condiciones socioeconómicas de los habitantes y las formas de obtención, financiación y construcción de la vivienda y relacionados con el mejoramiento de los barrios de origen informal. Se hace énfasis en los problemas de movilidad y desplazamiento forzado y su impacto en los ámbitos urbanos y en la configuración de la ciudad informal; presenta elementos que permiten identificar la mentalidad y la actitud cultural de las comunidades frente a la ciudad, las unidades urbanas y el medio ambiente, y reconoce los principales problemas ambientales generados por la implantación y el desarrollo de estas unidades urbanas en los asentamientos informales colombianos. Todos estos elementos se revelan en relación a las dinámicas y problemáticas detectadas en torno al proceso de urbanización en Colombia.

Starting the own business is sometimes a dream sometimes a nightmare but undoubtedly from a macro-economic perspective it is considered to be a promising concept to secure long-term economic growth and society's welfare, at least in Germany. Strong efforts were made to support start ups and potential entrepreneurs to run their own business. A plethora of programs were launched which were supposed to facilitate the start up process – but reality is disenchanting: The published data in the 2004 GEM indicate that the idea of an entrepreneurial society in Germany is still far beyond its realization. Germany ranks 17th out of 31 GEM states in terms of "nascent entrepreneurs" and only 22nd regarding the "young entrepreneurs". Compared to other GEM countries the German adults are considered to be more pessimistic in terms of entrepreneurial issues: The chances of establishing a successful business are evaluated lower than the years before. On the other hand the context factors which are considered to influence the start up opportunities especially in terms of governmental support and physical infrastructure were evaluated to be one of the best. Especially concerning the latter aspect strong efforts have been made to support entrepreneurs. In this context, and maybe because of - A "… post-1970s fascination with 'high-tech' regions worldwide" (Cooke/Leydesdorff 2006: 9), - A continuous liberalization of the world market and its impact on national production systems (which is well discussed in the context of the conversion of cooperatives), or - The dawn of the concept of national innovations systems (e.g. Lundvall 1988; Cozzens et al. 1990), For more than two decades, one promising concept of sustaining entrepreneurs was seen in the idea of incubators1 which mainly offer support in terms of infrastructure and funding opportunities. Meantime, we observe that questions emerge of how effective and efficient incubators work as one major instrument of macroentrepreneurial (Van de Veen 1995, Chiles/Meyer 2001) activities in order to facilitate start ups and to support the first steps of a new business from its start to its growth. The value of the incubator model as an effective means of technology and knowledge transfer especially from universities is continually discussed and questioned (Cunningham 1999). For example, a study run by Allen and Kahman (1985) concluded that incubators are tools for developing enterprises which create a positive environment for small businesses to succeed. Indeed, lots of studies brought up that incubators are an efficient and effective way to sustain spin-out processes and to contribute to regional development and prosperity. However, on the other hand some shortcomings are obvious: Finer and Holberton (2000) take into question the incubator model because it takes the initiative away from the start-up team. The paper refers to these observations. We assume by means of some international empirical studies that the functions of incubators are enhanced as a result of a (evolutional) learning process. On this basis we derive hypothesis about the dealing with the upcoming challenges and provide further research questions in an explorative way. Paragraph 2 introduces a three phased model of business incubators and classifies existing incubators. It will be obvious, that there is an increasing amount of functions that are allocated by incubators. Within paragraph 3 we examine recent developments from a macroeconomic perspective and contrast to this the evolution of incubators. Paragraph 4 presents two types of incubators that take these

The decline of biodiversity has reached an alarming rate and all the approaches that have been undertaken in the past were not sufficient to stop the on-going process. One of these approaches is Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS), a market-based approach, which has been established with the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. The underlying idea of ABS is that it turns biodiversity and genetic resources from an open access good to a private or club good and creates a market for genetic resources. It internalizes the resources' positive externalities by pricing the commercial values for research and development and makes users pay for it. Users' benefits are shared with the resource holders and set incentives for the sustainable use and the conservation of biodiversity. So far the theory. However, in practice the question arises how the concept has to be designed to be an effective approach to contribute to the protection of biodiversity and to the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the commercialization. In this study, the effectiveness of the ABS concept with regard to biodiversity conservation is defined as "the capability of the ABS regime i) to set incentives for the sustainable use and the conservation of biodiversity, ii) to facilitate access to plant genetic material and iii) to enhance a fair and equitable benefit-sharing". To measure the realization of these objectives, their determinants, the so-called critical factors, they have to be identified. In this study they are derived from the application of economic theory to the loss of biodiversity and the ABS concept, and from the empirical findings of three case studies of biodiversity-providing countries Costa Rica, the Philippines and Ethiopia and one case study of a community of user countries, the European Union (EU). The identified critical factors are property rights, information asymmetries, time lags, good governance, administrative complexity, and market structure. Depending on how they are addressed through the implementation of ABS on the national level the effectiveness can be assessed. This study discusses user and provider measures that have the potential to address the critical factors. Finally, the study formulates policy recommendations for an international ABS regime based on the results of the study. ; Effektivität und Perspektiven von Zugangs- und Vorteilsausgleichsregimen im Rahmen des Übereinkommens über die Biologische Vielfalt - Eine vergleichende Analyse von Costa Rica, den Philippinen, Äthiopien und der Europäischen Union Der fortschreitende Verlust von Biodiversität ist alarmierend. Alle Versuche und Initiativen diesen Prozess aufzuhalten, sind bisher gescheitert. Der marktbasierte Ansatz Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) (dt.: Zugang und Vorteilsausgleich) ist ein solcher Versuch. Er wurde 1992 im Rahmen des Übereinkommens über die Biologische Vielfalt (engl.: CBD) entwickelt und beschlossen. Dem Konzept liegt folgende, aus der Theorie abgeleitete Idee, zugrunde. Die Anwendung des ABS Konzeptes wandelt Biodiversität und genetische Ressourcen von open access Ressourcen in private Güter. Positive Externalitäten der Ressourcen werden durch die Monetarisierung der privaten Nutzen für Forschung und Entwicklung internalisiert. Die Nutzer genetischer Ressourcen teilen die Vorteile und Gewinne, die sie durch eine vorwiegend kommerzielle Nutzung erzielen, mit den Bereitstellern der Ressourcen. Die Erzielung von Einkommen durch die Bereitstellung von Biodiversität setzt Anreize zur Erhaltung und nachhaltigen Nutzung, sofern das alternative Einkommen der Bereitsteller die Opportunitätskosten deckt. Die Praxis hinkt der Theorie aber immer noch hinterher. Der Biodiversitätsverlust konnte bisher nicht aufgehalten werden und nur wenige ABS-Verträge haben zu einem sichtbaren Erfolg geführt. Die Frage, wie das ABS Konzept ausgestaltet werden muss, um tatsächlich ein effektiver Ansatz zur Erhaltung und nachhaltigen Nutzung genetischer Ressourcen, zur Schaffung eines leichteren Zugangs zu genetischen Ressourcen und zur Unterstützung des fairen und gerechten Vorteilsausgleichs zu sein, so wie die Konvention es verspricht, ist somit berechtigt. Um die Effektivität messen zu können, müssen so genannte kritische Faktoren definiert werden. Sie werden in dieser Studie durch die Anwendung der ökonomischen Theorie auf den Verlust biologischer Vielfalt und das ABS Konzept, sowie auf Grundlage vier verschiedener Fallstudien hergeleitet. Die Daten der Fallstudien wurden in drei biodiversitätsreichen Bereitstellerländern: Costa Rica, Philippinen und Äthiopien, sowie in der EU als einer Nutzergemeinschaft, mit besonderem Fokus auf Deutschland, erhoben. Die abgeleiteten kritischen Faktoren sind Eigentumsrechte, Informationsasymmetrien, zeitliche Verzögerungen, gute Regierungsführung, administrative Komplexität und Marktstruktur. Der Effektivitätsgrad des Konzeptes kann in Abhängigkeit davon bestimmt werden, inwieweit die einzelnen kritischen Faktoren ausgeprägt sind und beachtet werden. Hierzu analysiert die Studie potentielle Bereitsteller- und Nutzermaßnahmen. Zuletzt formuliert die Studie, basierend auf der vergleichenden Analyse und den abgeleiteten Ergebnissen, Handlungsempfehlungen für ein zukünftiges internationales ABS Regime.