This article addresses some of the lessons learned from analysis of the adaptation of foreign models in Latin American policy reform. The author revisits the theoretical issues raised in the book's introduction, then discusses how foreign models are adapted to fit a country's particular circumstances & how models impact decision making. Finally, the author discusses potential costs & benefits of policy emulation in Latin America countries. References. B. Boyce
Discusses how the adoption of new information & communication technologies (ICTs) is creating a need for changes in labor market policies in the global information society, focusing on the countries of the European Union & the role of the public employment service (PES). It is argued that traditional measures designed to combat chronic unemployment are too passive; more active strategies are needed in light of new forms of industrial organization. Such active labor market policies must emphasize training & retraining the workforce to meet the demands of ICTs; data from several such policy-based training programs are reviewed, highlighting the importance of job search assistance. The costs of such policies & strategies for their implementation are outlined, identifying the critical role of the PES; suggestions for change are made based on the experience of private-sector enterprises with practices such as on-line recruitment of job candidates. 2 Tables. K. Hyatt Stewart
In this paper, [the author offers] a review sketch of the past 12 years of [the] research on young people and community service. Much of this work was focused on learning more about the conditions that make service efficacious for young people's political and moral development. In the process of studying several youth in various kinds of service programs, [the author] also came to see that service is an opportunity for promoting identity development, meant in the sense of entering and adopting, however temporarily, a value-hearing historical tradition that gives meaning to young people's lives. This concept has become an interpretative framework for [the] understanding of service and its effects. (DIPF/orig.).
Die Verfasserin geht zunächst auf politische und strukturelle Bedingungen ein, die sich auf den Bildungserfolg und die Teilhabechancen von Migranten in einem demokratischen Gesellschaftssystem auswirken. Im Anschluss daran geht es um die Frage, wie auf der Ebene der einzelnen Schule eine Erziehung zur Demokratie umgesetzt werden kann. Die Verfasserin zeigt, dass gerade an Schulen mit hohem Zuwandereranteil die Arbeit an einer demokratischen Schulkultur für Demokratie- und Werteerziehung eine ausschlaggebende Rolle spielt. Zudem geht sie auf die Wirkung von Service-Learning-Lernen durch Engagement ein, einem Ansatz, bei dem in der Verbindung von gesellschaftlichem Engagement und schulischem Lernen demokratische Handlungskompetenzen trainiert werden. (ICE2)
Die Verfasserin geht zunächst auf politische und strukturelle Bedingungen ein, die sich auf den Bildungserfolg und die Teilhabechancen von Migranten in einem demokratischen Gesellschaftssystem auswirken. Im Anschluss daran geht es um die Frage, wie auf der Ebene der einzelnen Schule eine Erziehung zur Demokratie umgesetzt werden kann. Die Verfasserin zeigt, dass gerade an Schulen mit hohem Zuwandereranteil die Arbeit an einer demokratischen Schulkultur für Demokratie- und Werteerziehung eine ausschlaggebende Rolle spielt. Zudem geht sie auf die Wirkung von Service-Learning-Lernen durch Engagement ein, einem Ansatz, bei dem in der Verbindung von gesellschaftlichem Engagement und schulischem Lernen demokratische Handlungskompetenzen trainiert werden. (ICE2).
Examines elements of New Public Management (NPM) reform in Tanzania & Uganda -- including performance management & incentives, autonomous executive agencies, & contracting of services -- aimed at improving the public finances of both countries. The NPM model was adopted after traditional administrative reforms had failed to achieve better quality in public service. Innovations agreed on by political leaders & Western donors were adapted to fit local conditions. Tanzania, eg, chose basic reforms to pay structures with organizational performance targets & incentives, rather than individual performance pay. Uganda initially achieved a revenue increase of 4% of GDP, but as older practices & problems returned, improvements stagnated. The Uganda Management Instit was placed within a commercial framework, & Tanzania used the British model to establish a successful executive agency program. With the exception of the health sector, privatization has been less successful. The improvement of public service salaries & organizational efficiency is viewed as a good first step, along with delegation, decentralization, & privatization, the regulation of which yet needs action as the countries progress through a significant learning curve. 5 Tables, 4 Figures, 20 References. L. A. Hoffman
[The author tried] to review how the debate of the significance of community for political thinking and citizenship education has emerged out, of the liberalism versus communitarian debate and the revival of a civic republican conception of politics. This raises the issue of how do we develop through community involvement, especially on the local level, a more deliberative and democratic politics which can also provide a more political framework for citizenship education. Thus community involvement in the new citizenship curriculum based on the pedagogy of service learning must address the question of how the learning experience can be best structured to challenge students to become learning experience can be best structured to challenge students to become 'political' and aware of the political significance of civic engagement in local communities. (DIPF/orig.).
Der Beitrag liefert eine Momentaufnahme des aktuellen bürgerschaftlichen Engagements in amerikanischen Schulen und beschreibt die Vielzahl kommunaler Organisationen und Einzelpersonen, die zum Nutzen der staatlichen Schulen viel Zeit und Ressourcen in die persönliche Entwicklung der Schüler investieren. So beleuchtet das erste Kapitel zunächst die Situation bürgerschaftlichen Engagements und gemeinschaftlicher Freiwilligenarbeit in den USA. Das zweite Kapitel beschreibt sodann das bürgerschaftliche Engagement von Personen und Organisationen, die ihre Kompetenzen und ihre Erfahrungen in die Schule einbringen. Dieser soziale Einsatz wird anhand von Beispielen verdeutlicht. Das dritte Kapitel thematisiert durch Service-Learning-Programmen, in welcher Form bürgerschaftliches Engagement Eingang in den Lehrplan amerikanischer Schulen gefunden hat. Betrachtet man die heutigen Anforderungen an die Schüler und die Herausforderungen unserer Gesellschaft, so wird nach Ansicht der Autorin deutlich, dass die Amerikaner in großem Maße ihre Zeit und ihr Wissen einsetzen, um die Qualität von Bildung zu verbessern. Sie unterstützen die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Kommune und Schule durch die Förderung des bürgerschaftlichen Engagements. (ICG2).
"The author presents a case study of efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning at Kassel University. The study resulted from an extended internship - an internship of at least eight weeks' duration was an obligatory part of the MAHE Program - and examines the potentials and limitations of improving the teaching- and learning-based profile of Kassel University. The theoretical and conceptual part of the contribution discusses institutional profile-building of German universities and what it means in terms of potentials and limitations to establish a profile based on teaching and learning rather than research, global competitiveness or a high position on ranking scales. In addition, the heterogeneous disciplinary cultures (of the university?) are taken into account. The author identifies three factors that influence the decision for a profile based on excellence in teaching and learning: resources, heterogeneity of disciplinary cultures, and level of research. The author concludes that young, middle-sized universities like Kassel are often under pressure to excel in all functions (teaching, research, services), but there being considerable limitations to do this, a careful decision is needed on the function to focus in order to establish a profile if at all." (excerpt)
"The author presents a case study of efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning at Kassel University. The study resulted from an extended internship - an internship of at least eight weeks' duration was an obligatory part of the MAHE Program - and examines the potentials and limitations of improving the teaching- and learning-based profile of Kassel University. The theoretical and conceptual part of the contribution discusses institutional profile-building of German universities and what it means in terms of potentials and limitations to establish a profile based on teaching and learning rather than research, global competitiveness or a high position on ranking scales. In addition, the heterogeneous disciplinary cultures (of the university?) are taken into account. The author identifies three factors that influence the decision for a profile based on excellence in teaching and learning: resources, heterogeneity of disciplinary cultures, and level of research. The author concludes that young, middle-sized universities like Kassel are often under pressure to excel in all functions (teaching, research, services), but there being considerable limitations to do this, a careful decision is needed on the function to focus in order to establish a profile if at all." (excerpt).
Global & regional trade agreements have huge potential impacts on higher education around the world by promoting the commodification of higher education & its incorporation as an industry in the world trading system. Provisions for higher education in the General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade & the General Agreement on Trade in Services within the World Trade Organization are reviewed. The higher education industry has become increasingly important to the economy of the US & other countries & public higher education is increasingly subject to the rules of international trade. Trade liberalization helps other advanced countries to challenge US predominance in higher education. Among the barriers to trade in higher education are lack of student mobility, national licensing constraints, & visa & material restrictions. The emergence of new institutions (for-profit & corporate universities) & new delivery methods, eg, Internet-based learning, are discussed. Opposition to globalization may offset trade liberalization in higher education as well as in other industries. 1 Table, 61 References. M. Pflum
Global & regional trade agreements have huge potential impacts on higher education around the world by promoting the commodification of higher education & its incorporation as an industry in the world trading system. Provisions for higher education in the General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade & the General Agreement on Trade in Services within the World Trade Organization are reviewed. The higher education industry has become increasingly important to the economy of the US & other countries & public higher education is increasingly subject to the rules of international trade. Trade liberalization helps other advanced countries to challenge US predominance in higher education. Among the barriers to trade in higher education are lack of student mobility, national licensing constraints, & visa & material restrictions. The emergence of new institutions (for-profit & corporate universities) & new delivery methods, eg, Internet-based learning, are discussed. Opposition to globalization may offset trade liberalization in higher education as well as in other industries. 1 Table, 61 References. M. Pflum
Introduces selected papers concerned with the discovery of HIV in the blood supply in six West European countries. With the discovery that HIV was in the blood supply & was being transmitted to hemophiliacs & recipients of blood transfusions, policymakers had to change regular routines & standard operating procedures in an atmosphere of fast adaptation that involved quick learning not typical of government bureaucracies. Prompt action was required in a situation of great uncertainty & amidst contradictory information. Within four years, the advanced industrial nations had adopted preventive measures. Both the speed in stopping the transmission of a disease & the controversy raised were unprecedented. Contributors seek to discover why such an apparent medical success could be considered a political failure & why the blood crisis was considered a political failure in some countries, but not others. 2 Tables. L. A. Hoffman
The presence of HIV in the blood supply in France created probably the biggest political scandal of the 20th century; three former ministers (including the prime minister), doctors, scientific experts, & government advisers have stood trial or have trials pending. The structure of the system contributed to what was also a global failure in technical risk management: (1) Political forces had worked to promote solidarity with the gay victims of the epidemic, rather than to defend public health concerns. (2) Cost containment became important, & the health ministry was subordinated to the ministry of social affairs & could not obtain a budget for AIDS. (3) Decision-making competence shifted from ministers to advisory staff, further marginalizing the power of the central health administration. While France controlled the risk within the normal time frame of other Western countries, the scientific advance in HIV research & the public service structure of the entire blood sector could have could saved more lives. The political fallout was considered a policy failure, but the learning process from the investigations created long-term policy success as the public demanded accountability from public authorities & politicians. L. A. Hoffman
Investigates ways in which the new information society might contribute to economic development at the regional level & help to lessen the gap between central & peripheral regions. Reports & policy statements by the Commission of the European Communities are optimistic that combining information-based goods & services with diffuse electronic networks can help offset the "tyranny of geography" that has relegated certain areas to the nether regions of social & economic participation. Here, the development of a telecommunications infrastructure in various European regions is outlined, exploring how the adoption of new information & communications technologies gives peripheral regions enhanced work mobility by (1) industrializing the service sector, (2) creating a spatial separation of production & consumption, & (3) allowing firms to manage at a distance. Barriers to such development are identified, & the concept of "learning region" is introduced to describe the prerequisites necessary to successful adoption of information & communication technologies at both the individual & organizational levels. 2 Tables, 1 Figure. K. Hyatt Stewart
