From Ideas to Practice, Pilots to Strategy: Practical Solutions and Actionable Insights on How to Do Impact Investing

This report is the second publication in the World Economic Forum's Mainstreaming Impact Investing Initiative. The report takes a deeper look at why and how asset owners began to include impact investing in their portfolios and continue to do so today, and how they overcame operational and cultural constraints affecting capital flow. Given that impact investing expertise is spread among dozens if not hundreds of practitioners and academics, the report is a curation of some -- but certainly not all -- of those leading voices. The 15 articles are meant to provide investors, intermediaries and policy-makers with actionable insights on how to incorporate impact investing into their work.The report's goals are to show how mainstream investors and intermediaries have overcome the challenges in the impact investment sector, and to democratize the insights and expertise for anyone and everyone interested in the field. Divided into four main sections, the report contains lessons learned from practitioner's experience, and showcases best practices, organizational structures and innovative instruments that asset owners, asset managers, financial institutions and impact investors have successfully implemented

Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health From Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, 2008

Examines ten indicators to assess progress in state readiness to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Evaluates the federal government's and hospitals' preparedness. Makes suggestions for funding, restructuring, and other reforms

Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health From Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, 2009

Based on ten indicators, assesses progress in the readiness of states, federal government, and hospitals to respond to public health emergencies, with a focus on the H1N1 flu. Outlines improvements and concerns in funding, accountability, and other areas

The capital structure of banks and practice of bank restructuring : eight case studies on current bank restructurings in Europe ; final report

This study presents an empirical analysis of capital and liability management in eight cases of bank restructurings and resolutions from eight different European countries. It can be read as a companion piece to an earlier study by the author covering the specific bank restructuring programs of Greece, Spain and Cyprus during 2012/13. The study portrays for each case the timelines between the initial credit event and the (last) restructuring. It proceeds to discuss the capital and liability management activity before restructuring and the restructuring itself, launches an attempt to calibrate the extent of creditor participation as well as expected loss by government, and engages in a counterfactual discussion of what could have been a least cost restructuring approach. Four of the eight cases are resolutions, i.e. the original bank is unwound (Anglo Irish Bank, Amagerbanken, Dexia, Laiki), while the four other banks have de-facto or de-jure become nationalized and are awaiting re-privatization after the restructuring (Deutsche Pfandbriefbank/Hypo Real Estate, Bankia, SNS Reaal, Alpha Bank). The case selection follows considerations of their model character for the European bank restructuring and resolution policy discussion while straddling both the U.S. (2007 - 2010) and the European (2010 - ) legs of the financial crisis, which each saw very different policy responses...

Electronic Identity in Europe: Legal challenges and future perspectives (e-ID 2020)

This deliverable presents the work developed by the IPTS eID Team in 2012 on the large-encompassing topic of electronic identity. It is structured in four different parts: 1) eID: Relevance, Le-gal State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives; 2) Digital Natives and the Analysis of the Emerging Be-havioral Trends Regarding Privacy, Identity and Their Legal Implications; 3) The "prospective" use of social networking services for government eID in Europe; and 4) Facial Recognition, Privacy and Iden-tity in Online Social Networks.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

The Impact of Social Networking Sites on English Language Learning

This study aims to investigate if there is a connection between the development of the English language learning and influence of Social Networks on it. In addition, it will assess, what are the purposes of Social Networking Sites (SNS) usage, by students in an English-medium university in Kazakhstani context. Finally, it analyzes students’ beliefs on how SNS help facilitate their English language learning. The research problem of this paper is in the fact that educators do not have sufficient knowledge of new approaches and techniques to enhance the process of foreign languages acquisition. The rationale for the research is to fill the gap regarding the impact of digital literacy and SNS on English language learning. In order to solve the problem the researcher utilized mixed method research design. 76 students took part in an online anonymous survey. Further, nine students participated in a post-interview. The findings showed that students are fully integrated into online world and they consider SNS as a source to facilitate English language learning. Moreover, students demonstrated that their main online purposes are socialization, SNS activities for personal interests and education and academic purposes. The present study helps to understand that learning itself should be transferred from educational environment to SNS environment, and especially in the context of Kazakhstan, which is trying to become a more globalized educational digital country. The findings could be useful for policy makers and higher education officials. In addition, this study shows that with a massive usage of SNS by students these days, SNS could become a platform for language learning outside the classroom and beyond the educational practices. Thus, the policy makers could understand how teachers could be more efficient in utilizing digital technologies. Данная диссертация направлена на исследование связи между развитием навыков английского языка и влиянием социальных сетей на них. Кроме того, эта работа позволит оценить основные цели использования социальных сетей (SNS) учащимися англоязычного университета в контексте Казахстана. В данной работе будут проанализированы мнения студентов относительно того, как социальные сети могут быть полезны в обучении английскому языку. Задача данного исследования заключается в том, что преподаватели не обладают достаточным количеством знаний о новых подходах и методах для улучшения процесса обучения иностранным языкам. Обоснованием для исследования является восполнение пробела в отношении влияния цифровой грамотности и воздействия социальных сетей на изучение английского языка. Для решения проблемы исследователь использовал смешанный метод исследования. 76 студентов приняли участие в анонимном онлайн опросе, а также девять студентов участвовали в последующем личном интервью. Результаты исследования показали, что студенты полностью интегрированы в онлайн-мир, и считают социальные сети подходящей платформой для изучения английского языка. Кроме того, студенты продемонстрировали, что их главными целями в социальных сетях являются социализация, деятельность направленная на удовлетворение личных интересов, а также использование социальных сетей для образования и академических целей. Настоящее исследование помогает понять, что обучение может быть перенесено из образовательной среды в среду социальных сетей, особенно в контексте Казахстана, который стремится стать более глобализованной и цифровой страной. Выводы данного исследования могут быть полезны для лиц, разрабатывающих политические документы и сотрудников сферы высшего образования. Кроме того, данная работа показывает, что повсеместное использование социальных сетей студентами может помочь в трансформации этих платформ. Социальные сети могут стать платформами для изучения иностранных языков за пределами образовательной среды и образовательных практик. Таким образом, данная работа также позволить понять, как учителя могут стать более эффективными в использовании цифровых технологий

From the Blogosphere into the Parliament: investigating the dynamics of the Five Star Movement case

Our teaching case introduces the story of how the Italian Five Star Movement (M5S) used digital technologies in the growth from a personal blog discussing politics back in 2005, to the most voted party in the Italian election in 2018, becoming part of the government. The M5S is amongst the largest eParticipation initiatives globally. It is (almost) totally organized through the use of digital platforms. Members form online communities and are continuously invited to discuss and make decisions that end up into Italian politics. Adopting a chronological perspective, we describe the development of the M5S, focusing on their use of digital technologies at various stages and for various purposes. The case illustrates the growth of an online communities and the advent of a social movement organization within the political sphere, and how to organize for members to discuss and make political decisions online. Furthermore, it demonstrates the growth of online communities and opportunities and challenges faced with such a quick progress

Green Mind Theory: How Brain-Body-Behaviour Links into Natural and Social Environments for Healthy Habits

We propose a Green Mind Theory (GMT) to link the human mind with the brain and body, and connect the body into natural and social environments. The processes are reciprocal: environments shape bodies, brains, and minds; minds change body behaviours that shape the external environment. GMT offers routes to improved individual well-being whilst building towards greener economies. It builds upon research on green exercise and nature-based therapies, and draws on understanding derived from neuroscience and brain plasticity, spiritual and wisdom traditions, the lifeways of original cultures, and material consumption behaviours. We set out a simple metaphor for brain function: a bottom brain stem that is fast-acting, involuntary, impulsive, and the driver of fight and flight behaviours; a top brain cortex that is slower, voluntary, the centre for learning, and the driver of rest and digest. The bottom brain reacts before thought and directs the sympathetic nervous system. The top brain is calming, directing the parasympathetic nervous system. Here, we call the top brain blue and the bottom brain red; too much red brain is bad for health. In modern high-consumption economies, life has often come to be lived on red alert. An over-active red mode impacts the gastrointestinal, immune, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. We develop our knowledge of nature-based interventions, and suggest a framework for the blue brain-red brain-green mind. We show how activities involving immersive-attention quieten internal chatter, how habits affect behaviours across the lifecourse, how long habits take to be formed and hard-wired into daily practice, the role of place making, and finally how green minds could foster prosocial and greener economies. We conclude with observations on twelve research priorities and health interventions, and ten calls to action