Launching the Grand Challenges for Ocean Conservation

The ten most pressing Grand Challenges in Oceans Conservation were identified at the Oceans Big Think and described in a detailed working document:A Blue Revolution for Oceans: Reengineering Aquaculture for SustainabilityEnding and Recovering from Marine DebrisTransparency and Traceability from Sea to Shore:  Ending OverfishingProtecting Critical Ocean Habitats: New Tools for Marine ProtectionEngineering Ecological Resilience in Near Shore and Coastal AreasReducing the Ecological Footprint of Fishing through Smarter GearArresting the Alien Invasion: Combating Invasive SpeciesCombatting the Effects of Ocean AcidificationEnding Marine Wildlife TraffickingReviving Dead Zones: Combating Ocean Deoxygenation and Nutrient Runof

Offshoring in the service sector : economic impact and policy issues

The United States continues to run an international trade surplus in services, but business stories frequently appear about service-sector jobs moving offshore. Many Americans are particularly concerned about the loss of skilled, well-paid jobs in such fields as computer programming and accounting. These jobs seemed relatively secure at a time when many manufacturing jobs were being lost to import competition. Similarly, telephone call centers, once viewed as an economic development opportunity in some areas, increasingly are moving to low-wage countries, such as India and the Philippines. Reflecting this growing concern, some members of Congress and state legislators have focused attention on the offshoring of service jobs and production, even introducing legislation to limit the outsourcing of jobs to other countries. Offshoring raises many questions for policymakers and the general public. For example, which service jobs will be affected most by import competition? What are the most likely effects of service-sector offshoring on U.S. output, employment, and, most important, our standard of living? Is offshoring really a problem that requires restrictive government actions, or are other kinds of policies more appropriate to give Americans the highest possible living standard? ; Garner examines the economic effects of offshoring and possible policy responses. He finds that although the offshoring of service jobs hurts some workers, offshoring should not permanently lower U.S. employment or production. ; Moreover, the average living standard can benefit over the long run if the nation adopts policies to retrain displaced workers and move them into expanding industries.Service industries

NASA's Role in Aeronautics: A Workshop. Volume 5: Rotorcraft

The potential roles for NASA relating to rotorcraft are reviewed. The agency's participation is delineated for each role, a rationale is provided, the current level of activity is summarized, and suggestions are given for the kinds of research still needed. In examining opportunities for the most beneficial deployment of its resources, NASA should consider societal benefits as well as the military and civil markets in formulating the role it can play to support the development of a stronger rotorcraft technology base

Policies for capacity development

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Value of Digitizing Well Interventions and its impact on business and working processes

The oil and gas industry continuously enters a phase with new challenges and new ways of thinking, the rise of a digitalization revolution can be the key answer to creating new opportunities to overcome the industry's challenges. The “new reality’’ of low oil prices, Covid-19 still threatening, and the increased focus on climate and environmental considerations globally, has led to a shift in the mindset of the industry; from an increased-production focus to a cost-efficiency focus while maximizing the productivity, minimizing operating costs and sustain operating flexibility. Accomplishing this new way of working may perhaps require a digital transformation. There has generally been little technology development and digitization in the well intervention sector compared with the drilling sector. Real-time data, onshore support centers, and automation have long been used in the drilling sector. This master thesis introduces an innovative project that is being implemented by ALTUS Intervention. Digital Well Intervention (DWI) is a digital platform that digitizes large parts of today's way of working and how ALTUS Intervention is delivering well intervention services. This master's thesis studies how DWI will affect the work process in ALTUS Intervention. The thesis will provide concrete examples of how DWI improves work processes both internally and externally. The project is still in the planning phase, and thus, concrete proposals are given for the further development of DWI. Furthermore, it is studied how DWI can provide value creation. This is based on several case studies with a similar approach as the DWI platform that has been shown to be a great approach to value creation

Business Process Outsourcing: An Exploratory Study

This study examines the emergence of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in white collar occupations. Recent BPO practices are compared to the offshore outsourcing of production in the context of the shift from Fordist to flexible production. The study considers BPO in light of Harry Braverman\u27s theory of work degradation and whether or not BPO extends the traditional division of labor between conception and execution to higher skilled white collar occupations. An exploratory qualitative approach comprised of informant interviews, a focus group, and literature review was used to analyze how BPO occurs, why it happens, and where it takes place. I discuss the role of politics and corporate culture in outsourcing white collar jobs and examine the practice of transitioning workers from client to BPO service providers. The study concludes with a skill-based typology of BPO services and suggestions for policy and future research

Business process outsourcing: A new development initiative for South Africa

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS)South African Economic Development strategy has in the previous 15 years, and even leading back as far as the late 1950s, followed the bias of conventional modernisation theory which traditionally equates economic development, and associated job creation, with industrialisation. However, in the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGI-SA), the South African government’s most recent Economic Development Strategy document, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Tourism, both Service sectors, have been put forward as the priority sector development areas. This mini-thesis outlines the factors and evolving economic development theories, both global and national, which have contributed to this shift in strategy. This study pays detailed attention to the BPO sector by reviewing and establishing its capacity and potential to meaningfully contribute to economic growth and accelerated job creation, globally and, specifically in South Africa, in reference to the South African government’s stated development objectives. ‘Exportable’ Services, and specifically the BPO sector, has only in recent years shown its potential as a significant contributor to economic development, and South Africa and other developing nations have little precedent and few guidelines as to how best develop the sector to achieve accelerated economic growth and job creation, thus, this study goes further by outlining possible strategic development issues for successful development of the BPO sector in South Africa. The underlying message of this thesis is that there is a case for development strategists and planners to continue to investigate, pursue and prioritise the development of ‘exportable’ service sectors

English as the Language of Trade, Finance, and Technology in APEC: an East Asia Perspective

The use of English language for cross-border communications is important in many areas of trade ranging from tourism to trade in financial services. English will increase the capacity of people to communicate and exchange ideas and goods across borders. However, the increasing involvement in trade, tourism, and international relations among APEC member countries where English is not spoken as the first language poses some problems and barriers in achieving aspired regional cooperation. Efforts have been made by governments to encourage the internalization of English as a second language. This article documents ongoing efforts to adopt English as the official language of trade, finance, and technology in APEC member countries and to improve English fluency in selected East Asian countries. It is an interesting case study on the adoption of a common technology (i.e., English as the medium of communication) as an explicit policy to enhance both global integration and country competitiveness.capacity building, English language, language barrier, language skill, language education, English economy, trade language

English as the Language of Trade, Finance, and Technology in APEC: an East Asia Perspective

The use of English language for cross-border communications is important in many areas of trade ranging from tourism to trade in financial services. English will increase the capacity of people to communicate and exchange ideas and goods across borders. However, the increasing involvement in trade, tourism, and international relations among APEC member countries where English is not spoken as the first language poses some problems and barriers in achieving aspired regional cooperation. Efforts have been made by governments to encourage the internalization of English as a second language. This article documents ongoing efforts to adopt English as the official language of trade, finance, and technology in APEC member countries and to improve English fluency in selected East Asian countries. It is an interesting case study on the adoption of a common technology (i.e., English as the medium of communication) as an explicit policy to enhance both global integration and country competitiveness.capacity building, English language, language barrier, language skill, language education, English economy, trade language