Suchergebnisse

The article explores the development in Brazil after Luis Inazio da Silva, Lula, gained power a year ago. This vast & resourceful country, with its 182 million inhabitants, has experienced an immense growth over the last century. The welfare gap is however equally large. The richest percent of the population has an income equal to that of the poorest half. Brazil now puts her faith in President Lula, who vows to redistribute the country's wealth through a national compromise & a new corporate community contract: He wants support from all sectors & classes. Lula's "new rhythm" the bossa nova -- represents a Latin American third way, reflecting considerable knowledge of the post-war "Nordic model.". 19 References. Adapted from the source document.

This thesis studies three major reforms in the public sector of Norway. The sectors studied are the police, higher education, and primary schools. The main motive for studying these reforms are of a theoretical nature, the reason to study them is to produce general knowledge about reforms. The study aims to answer two main questions. One is about the possibilities and limitations contained in using reforms to change organizations. The second is about how organizations can promote the ideals of representative democracy. In its efforts to attain answers to these questions the thesis blends empirically-oriented research with aspects of organization theory and political theory. The thesis is divided into four different parts. First, there is a descriptive presentation of the three reforms. Secondly, there is a discussion of various theories of reforms and organizations. The primary aim of this analysis is to illuminate and explain the empirical data, but this discussion should also provide its own answers to the main questions asked in the thesis. Thirdly, these theories are applied to analyze data from the three reforms. And finally, the study concludes with a summary of what general insights about the reforms we are left with after studying the Quality Reform, The Police Reform 2000, and the Knowledge Reform. The study shows that reforms have both policy and content aspects, and that it is important to distinguish between the two in order to analyse and understand them. The policy aspect is that reforms are a strategy for change - they are tools for implementing change in organizations. The content aspect is that reforms have a specific content - they have certain objectives that they want to realize. The study concludes that in order to understand this complex and fascinating phenomenon, we need to understand reforms both as instrumental tools, institutional adaptations and symbols.

Rapid climate change in the Arctic triggers the remobilization of chemical pollution, increasing its exposure and potential impacts in the region. While scientific knowledge on multiple stressors, including the interlinkages between climate change and hazardous chemicals, is increasing, it has proven challenging to translate this knowledge into policy. This study analyzes the process of translating Arctic scientific knowledge on multiple stressors into global policy by focusing on the development of a guidance document under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Through document analysis and key informant interviews, we focus particularly on the role of the Arctic Council working group AMAP in synthesizing, translating and communicating science on multiple stressors to policy makers. We draw on the theoretical framework of formalization (how and by whom knowledge is summarized for policy) and separation (the relative distance between science and policy) to analyze the science-to-policy interface. Our analysis of the phases leading up to the guidance document show that AMAP has dynamically moved between different degrees of separation and formalization. Orchestrating the interplay between scientists and policy makers, the working group has put multiple stressors on the political agenda internationally. AMAP has thereby contributed to turn Arctic science into global policy through the guidance document. We conclude by illustrating several constraints in terms of the implementation of actual policy, which we argue is due to an increasing degree of formalization in the last phase and a general unreadiness of contemporary governance systems to address multiple stressors.

A roundtable discussion involving Dag Herbjornsrud, Jan Erik Snoen, and Halvard Leira that addresses general Norwegian media coverage of the USA. A mixed media picture is discussed; on one hand conservative politics are exaggerated and presented in a negative light while the underlying idea of freedom and opportunity is appealing to the media. The duality of media coverage is attributed to strong cultural and military ties with the USA contrasted by strong political differences. It is suggested that the USA is used to compare and contrast to Norwegian society in order to better understand Norwegian issues. The existence of an American attitude of exceptionalism is debated and it is suggested that this is an academic construct rather than popular opinion. It is argued that Norwegians are unable to fully appreciate the level of diversity in the United States and have a tendency to form opinions based on elitist East Coast sources and entertainment sources such as film and television. It is agreed that Norwegians have premeditated opinions about the US that are not based on political science and/or historical research or factual knowledge. E. Sundby

"The health sector is a complex and dynamic conglomerate of services at local, regional and national levels. How to balance different considerations between new medical-professional knowledge, controlling expenses and local interests are among the permanent challenges facing political bodies when planning and structuring the services. The book is based upon institutionalist organisation theories, referring back to classic texts as well as present-day analyses. By taking a long-term perspective, and analysing one Norwegian county as a case study, the author addresses questions about how conflicts on hospital structure seemingly have been solved, and how the introduction of new management forms have changed the sector.
One of the issues is how, in a 40 years' perspective, different interest groups have seen their influence over health services and management forms have changed. In contrast to hypotheses that medical doctors would see their influence becoming reduced, the analyses show how medical actors, in an alliance with management consultants, have become more influential when innovations in health work and eventually organisation models are introduced. Regional political bodies and local community interests have lost much of their former role in restructuring processes. At the end of the book, the author makes some hypotheses about how health services will develop in the interface between ideas of a centralised, modern, high tech hospital model on one hand, and local and home based services on the other. These developments will in a nearby future most likely restructure the health sector once more.
" - "Helsesektoren er i stadig endring. Utfordringene sektoren står overfor, dreier seg blant annet om å finne balansen mellom medisinsk-faglig utvikling, økonomiske rammer og geografiske hensyn. Organisasjons-, styrings- og ledelsesformer påvirker forholdet mellom disse hensynene, som ofte trekker tjenestene i ulike retninger.

Et av de mest kontroversielle spørsmålene er hvilken sykehusstruktur som er mest hensiktsmessig. De siste årene har en på ny opplevd at protestene mot sentralisering av sykehussektoren er blitt sterkere. I debatten er det igjen blitt søkelys på de helsepolitiske spill og strategier som kjennetegner sektoren. Samtidig påvirkes tjenestene hele tiden av medisinsk-teknologiske innovasjoner, nye økonomistyringssystemer og innføring av «moderne» styrings- og ledelsesformer.

I denne boken diskuteres hvordan en i Østfold håndterte utfordringene knyttet til sykehusstruktur, og hvordan det er skapt tilsynelatende ro om dette tidligere så betente spørsmålet. Forfatteren analyserer først de strategiene som førte til at sykehusdriften i fylket ble sentralisert og et nytt «supersykehus» på Kalnes ble bygget. Deretter blir noen kjennetegn ved organisasjons- og ledelsesformer i det nye sykehuset drøftet.

Avslutningsvis diskuteres de underliggende utviklingstendenser som kan peke mot fremtidens sykehustjenester innenfor et mer helhetlig «helsesystem», som også omfatter lokale helsetjenester. Analysen er basert på moderne organisasjons- og ledelsesteorier. Et sentralt spørsmål her er hvordan institusjonelle særtrekk ved sektoren har betydning for de endringene som har skjedd de siste 40 -50 årene.

Målgruppen for boken er forskere, universitets- og høgskoleansatte og studenter i samfunnsvitenskapelige fag relatert til helsesektoren. Boken vil også gi ny kunnskap til ansatte i sektoren, og andre som er opptatt av helse- og velferdspolitiske spørsmål."

"The Norwegian food market engenders strong opinions and substantial media attention, with questions regarding agricultural regulations, competition between retail food chains, and the relationship between chains and their suppliers fueling debate. Meanwhile the country's politicians call for greater intervention.

Much of the debate can seem to be happening "against our better judgment". Vague assumptions about the state of the food sector, paired with a strong political will to apply initiatives, is reason enough to look closer at the situation.

This anthology provides an up-to-date factual assessment of the entire value chain in the food market. Central topics include development of productivity in the various segments of the food chain, price differences between different countries, and effects of Norway's tariff system. The book presents new contributions concerning the structure of the market, access to food stores and the significance of brand names, and especially to the kind of bargaining tactics employed between food chains and suppliers, with an overview of how their negotiations are carried out and possibilities for regulatory measures afforded under existing laws.

Against Better Judgment in the Norwegian Food Sector confirms existing knowledge and presents new findings that deserve attention from the sector itself, the media and public authorities. The book will be of interest to everyone seeking to understand the Norwegian food sector and take part in its further development.

The book's chapters have been written by seven researchers with lengthy experience in the field, and edited by Frode Steen, a professor in the Department of Economics at the Norwegian School of Economics, and Ivar Pettersen, a senior advisor at the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research." - "Det norske matmarkedet er preget av sterke meninger og stor medieoppmerksomhet. Spørsmål som reguleringer i jordbruket, konkurranse mellom dagligvarekjeder og forholdet mellom kjeder og leverandører skaper debatt. Samtidig etterlyser landets politikere en mer intensiv bruk av virkemidler.

Mye av debatten kan synes å skje «mot bedre vitende». Uklare oppfatninger om tilstanden i matsektoren, koblet med en sterk politisk vilje til å gjøre tiltak, gir grunn til å se nærmere på situasjonsbeskrivelsen.

Denne boken gir et oppdatert faktagrunnlag om hele verdikjeden i matmarkedet. Sentrale tema er produktivitetsutvikling i de ulike leddene i matkjeden, prisforskjeller mellom ulike land og effekter av det norske tollvernet. Boken presenterer nye bidrag rundt markedsstruktur, butikktilgjengelighet og merkevarens betydning. Forhandlingsspillet mellom kjeder og leverandører vies stor plass, med innføring i hvordan forhandlingene foregår samt hvilke muligheter eksisterende lovverk gir for regulerende tiltak.

Mot bedre vitende i norsk matsektor bekrefter eksisterende kunnskap og frembringer nye funn som fortjener oppmerksomhet fra bransje, medier og myndigheter. Boken vil være nyttig for alle som ønsker å forstå norsk matsektor og delta i den videre utformingen av denne.

Boken inneholder bidrag fra syv forskere med lang fartstid på feltet. Den er redigert av Frode Steen, professor ved Institutt for samfunnsøkonomi ved Norges Handelshøyskole, og Ivar Pettersen, seniorrådgiver ved Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi."