Better regulation in the European Union : lost in translation or full stream ahead? : the transposition of EU transport directives across member states

Better regulation in the European Union cannot be achieved without serious attention to transposition of EU law into national legislation. As a matter of fact, EU member states breach EU law __ perpetuately. Why do member states miss deadlines when transposing EU internal market directives? What factors determine delays when transposing EU directives? How do these factors influence the timeliness of the national transposition processes? And under what conditions are transpositions of directives delayed? This study analyses the timeliness of national transposition processes across nine member states of the 2004 EU transport acquis. Based on a truly mixed-method approach __ a new quantitative data set with further insights gleaned from four controlled case studies and a concluding fuzzy set analysis - this study shows that the European Union has a serious transposition problem. Almost 70 percent of all national legal measures transposing the transport acquis cause problems, either because they are transposed too late, risking the opening of an infringement proceeding, or because they are too early (gold-plating), risking warping effects on the regulatory environment for business and citizens in the EU alike. Furthermore, this book provides some progress regarding the conditions under which transposition performance of member states could be improved. Seven potential European and national drivers and constrainers for timely transposition can be identified with different effects on the lengths of transposition delays. Distinguishing between three outcomes of transposition process (on time, short and long delay) it is the specific features of European directives that account for short term delays, whereas serious time lags of more than six months are a result of domestic factors. Furthermore, the timing of general elections in a member state and policy sector-related crises retard or rather accelerate national transposition processes just as political priority represents a significant necessary condition for timeliness.LEI Universiteit LeidenThe politics and administration of institutional change - ou

Riparian Management: Back to Basics

9 pages

Show them how to do it: using Macromedia Captivate to deliver remote demonstrations

This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of using Macromedia Captivate to deliver remote information literacy instruction to large groups of students at Coventry University via the virtual learning environment, WebCT. We present the results of a case study based on the use of Captivate tutorials by undergraduate business studies students. Created by library staff for a specific business module, the usage and effectiveness of the tutorials is analysed. We discuss why the take up of the tutorials was not as great as expected and assess the overall usefulness of remote, online tutorials within the information literacy toolkit. The advantages and disadvantages of using Captivate and similar products are discussed. The paper has practical value for library and information professionals seeking to use online tutorials to deliver information literacy instruction. The paper highlights the possible pitfalls of using such a method within a virtual learning environment, such as WebCT

An Evaluation of Library Instruction Delivered to Engineering Students Using Streaming Video

This paper evaluates the use of streaming video applications in the delivery of information literacy instruction to engineering students. It describes the University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB) Engineering Library\u27s implementation of streaming video to support graduate distance programs in the Center for Advanced Engineering and Technology Education (CAETE), and reviews library literature regarding the use of streaming technology. As an initial evaluation of the project, the preliminary results of a survey (n=27) comparing satisfaction levels and learning outcomes between students who attended library instruction sessions in-class versus via streaming video are given. The results reveal no significant difference in satisfaction or learning outcomes between students who received library instruction delivered via streaming video or students attended live

Using YouTube Videos to Explain Difficult Database Concepts in the Classroom

We as lecturers have to adapt to a changing student audience. It is no longer good enough to teach without technology, especially in technology-driven subjects, such as advanced databases. Students learn best with a diverse teaching approach, and as part of improving our students’ capabilities, YouTube videos, custom-made with the course content, were introduced in an advanced database course. The YouTube videos were aimed at improving student understanding by practically illustrating database scenarios where the main topics of the lectures were addressed. Students were asked to complete an anonymous survey based on their experiences. The groups’ responses clearly showed that the majority of students benefited from the videos, with 64% of students indicating that the videos were helpful in understanding difficult concepts, and that 77% of students watch YouTube videos when they need a step-by-step approach to grasp difficult concepts. The overall results indicate that the future of academic teaching no longer only lies in formal lectures, but also adding technology to enhance students’ experiences

Targeting International Customers in Japanese E-commerce: A Web Content Analysis of the Marketing Mix in Rakuten and Amazon.co.jp

The thesis examines the marketing strategies implemented by the two biggest e-commerce companies in Japan, namely Rakuten and Amazon.co.jp, in order to address their international customers. Specifically, the study is conducted by means of a multiple-case study design, an interpretivist approach and a qualitative Web Content Analysis on the two firms’ websites in English language. The theoretical framework is based on a revisited marketing mix with a view to applying the so-called “4Ps” in the international online environment throughout the analysis of the websites. The study primarily stems from a lack of research on marketing practices of Japanese e-commerce companies, as well as from an inadequate emphasis on case-study research of marketing operations. Based on the main findings, both companies propose an efficient and secure global shipping system and accommodate a variety of international payment methods, although they partially ensure international payment security. Furthermore, whereas Rakuten is aimed at advertising Japanese products abroad, Amazon.co.jp provides customers with an international return policy. Finally, the thesis reveals that the customized nature of Rakuten’s marketplace and a limited translation into English of the website content in Amazon.co.jp pose challenges in terms of the companies’implementation of international marketing strategies

Information literacy “learning” via online tutorials: A collaboration between subject specialist and instructional design librarian

As the American higher education paradigm shifts from a traditional classroom instruction model to a distributed learning model, academic libraries must update library instruction methods to allow for more flexible delivery of content. Distance students particularly need instructional content that can be accessed anywhere, at any time. This article seeks to explore one approach to creating a flexible online learning environment by studying the design and implementation of online research tutorials for two sections of an Introduction to American Ethnic Studies course at Kansas State University