Foreign Direct Investments in Business Services: Transforming the Visegrád Four Region into a Knowledge-based Economy?

Foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the service sector are widely attributed an important role in bringing more skill-intensive activities into the Visegrad Four (V4). This region—comprising Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia—relied heavily on FDIs in manufacturing, which was often found to generate activities with limited skill content. This contribution deconstructs the chaotic concept of “business services” by analysing the actual nature of service sector activities outsourced and offshored to the V4. Using the knowledge-based economy (KBE) as a benchmark, the paper assesses the potential of service sector outsourcing in contributing to regional competitiveness by increasing the innovative capacity. It also discusses the role of state policies towards service sector FDI (SFDI). The analysis combines data obtained from case studies undertaken in service sector outsourcing projects in V4 countries. Moreover, it draws on interviews with senior employees of investment promotion agencies and publicly available data and statistics on activities within the service sector in the region. It argues that the recent inward investments in business services in the V4 mainly utilize existing local human capital resources, and their contribution to the development of the KBE is limited to employment creation and demand for skilled labour

The State of Inclusive Science Communication: A Landscape Study

Inclusive science communication (ISC) is a new and broad term that encompasses all efforts to engage specific audiences in conversations or activities about science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) topics, including, but not limited to, public engagement, informal science learning, journalism, and formal science education. Unlike other approaches toward science communication, however, ISC research and practice is grounded in inclusion, equity, and intersectionality, making these concerns central to the goals, design, implementation, evaluation, and refinement of science communication efforts. Together, the diverse suite of insights and practices that inform ISC comprise an emerging movement. While there is a growing recognition of the value and urgency of inclusive approaches, there is little documented knowledge about the potential catalysts and barriers for this work. Without documentation, synthesis, and critical reflection, the movement cannot proceed as quickly as is warranted. The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute conducted a landscape study to address this gap and clarify the state of ISC with support from The Kavli Foundation. This document summarizes the findings from interviews of thirty ISC leaders whose work spans career stages, disciplines, sectors, and modes. The study also was informed by input from attendees at the 2019 InclusiveSciComm Symposium, the 2019 Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference, the 2020 Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Summit, and informal conversations at other conferences held in 2020

The impact of social media on social entrepreneurship in a developing country

The aim of this paper is to explore critical issues that influence Bangladeshi social enterprises to embrace social media as a business tactic. The outcomes attained of this research are contrasted with issues that have impacted on IT implementation according to the literature. In addition, the paper investigates how social media implementation affects patterns of business and identifies some difficulties and challenges that social enterprises face in terms of application. The research gap of this study is addressed in the setting of the developing world. The paper also explores the benefits of harnessing social media

Analysing Regional Sustainability Through a Systemic Approach: The Lombardy Case Study

The intrinsic complexity of the sustainability concept challenges research towards more sophisticated ways to model and assess the dimensions underlying it. However, currently adopted modelling techniques and indicators frameworks are not able to give an integrated assessment through the different components of sustainability, providing incomplete visuals of the reality that they aim to catch. This paper tries to assess how the INSURE methodology can provide a contribution in the analysis of sustainability through indicator frameworks, describing its application to the Lombardy region (Italy). Developed on the course of a 6th European Framework Program – financed project to measure sustainability in the European regions, the methodology provides two distinct sustainability representations, based on a quantitative “top-down” System Dynamics model and on a qualitative “bottom-up” System Thinking approach. The models are then linked to a hierarchical indicator framework setting policy priorities. The overall objective is thus to create a set of regional indicators, adapting the models of regional sustainability to different policy agendas. The purpose of the paper is twofold: defining a new approach to sustainability appraisal, and assessing how the Region is holistically behaving towards sustainable development. Starting from a basis analysis of the main shortcomings highlighted by the use of most adopted methodologies, the paper will verify the contribution given by the INSURE methodology to research in the fields of modelling and indicators approaches, providing insights over methodological adjustments and the results obtained from the application to Lombardy. The conclusions will show how the methodology has tried to overcome identified constraints in current models, like the strong dependence on existing datasets of the obtained representations, the under-coverage of “immaterial factors” role and the scarce integration between sustainability dimensions.ustainable Development, Regional Economics, Econometric and Input Output Models, Development Planning and Policy, Regional Analyses

Industrial Policy and Structural Change Sustainability. Theories and Practices in the Contemporary International Context

The collection of six papers presented in this thesis focuses on selective industrial policy, here conceptualized as public interventions governing the process of structural change affecting contemporary production systems towards desired societal goals. In particular, the papers have explored, both from a theoretical and an empirical angle, how contemporary real-world industrial policy practices can ensure that such structural transformations are economically and socially sustainable. Specifically, the research contends that, within the current debate on industrial policy, new conceptual framework and analytical tools oriented towards a structural change sustainability should emerge and be discussed to support policymakers in governing socio-economic transformation towards desired societal goals, while mitigating the rise of government failures. This collection of papers is structured as follows: The first paper (“Industry 4.0 policy from a sociotechnical perspective: the case of German competence centers”) explores how the German policy initiative “Mittelstand 4.0: digital production and work processes” has enabled across SMEs a complex sociotechnical transition characterized by dynamic interactions between human actors, institutions and technologies. Empirical insights on Industry 4.0 policy design and implementation are presented. The second paper (“Structural Change and Industrialization in Ethiopia: Lessons from the Agro-Industrial Parks Initiative”) analyses the process of the design and implementation of the Ethiopian Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks Initiative, targeting a structural transformation of the agricultural sector. The article highlights how a change in the political regime occurred in 2018 opened a window of opportunity for new stakeholders to enter the phase of policy implementation and thus partially correct the policy trajectory, departing from its dirigiste, top-down approach and shifting towards a multi-stakeholder and participatory initiative. The third paper (“Local public spending, electoral consensus, and sustainable structural change”) explores the idea that, to govern structural change in a sustainable way, policy initiatives should reconcile juxtaposed interests, to avoid the exacerbation of tensions and system’s collapse. Specifically, the paper contends that local public spending represents a channel through which reconciling such juxtaposing interests. The results yield implications for policymakers to garner the electoral consensus they need for governing structural change in a sustainable way. The fourth paper (“Do informal institutions matter for the economic resilience of European regions? A study of the post-2008 shock”) has explored the relationship between informal institutions and “resilience” across EU regions in the years following the 2008 Great Recession. Policy implications have been drawn from the results and discussed. The fifth paper (“Conceptualizing and measuring “industry resilience”: composite indicators for post-shock industrial policy decision-making”) deals with the question: can resilience be a relevant concept also for industrial policy? Theoretically, we frame postshock industry resilience as a conceptual framework shedding light on how different sectors react to unforeseen shocks and thus enabling policymakers to craft industrial initiative to encourage structural change sustainability. Methodologically, we develop a composite indicator allowing to visualize and compare sectoral performances dynamically and we apply it to the US post-2008 shock. The sixth paper (“Does Industry Resilience matter for post-shock Industrial Policy? A focus on tourism related industries”) fine tunes the composite indicators-based methodology and applies it to the Italian case, showing to what extent sectors have reacted heterogeneously to the 2008 shock.La raccolta di sei articoli presentati in questa tesi si occupa di politiche industriali selettive, concettualizzate come interventi pubblici di governo dei processi di cambiamento strutturale dei sistemi produttivi verso obiettivi sociali desiderati. In particolare, i contributi hanno esplorato, sia da un punto di vista teorico che empirico, come le pratiche di politica industriale contemporanee possano garantire che tali trasformazioni strutturali siano economicamente e socialmente sostenibili. In particolare, la ricerca sostiene che, nell'ambito dell'attuale dibattito sulla politica industriale, dovrebbero emergere ed essere discussi nuovi strumenti concettuali e analitici orientati alla sostenibilità dei cambiamenti strutturali, per supportare i decisori politici nel governare le trasformazioni socio-economiche verso gli obiettivi sociali desiderati, mitigando al contempo l'aumento dei fallimenti di governo. Questa raccolta di articoli è strutturata come segue: Il primo articolo (“Industry 4.0 policy from a sociotechnical perspective: the case of German competence centers”) esplora come l'iniziativa politica tedesca "Mittelstand 4.0" abbia consentito alle PMI una complessa transizione sociotecnica caratterizzata da interazioni dinamiche tra persone, istituzioni e tecnologie. Vengono presentati spunti empirici sulla progettazione e sull'attuazione delle politiche per Industria 4.0. Il secondo articolo (“Structural Change and Industrialization in Ethiopia: Lessons from the Agro-Industrial Parks Initiative”) analizza il processo messa a punto di una rete di parchi agroindustriali in Etiopia, finalizzati alla trasformazione strutturale del settore agricolo. L'articolo evidenzia come il cambio di regime politico avvenuto nel 2018 abbia consentito l'ingresso di nuovi stakeholder nella fase di implementazione della politica e quindi per correggere parzialmente la traiettoria dell’intervento, allontanandosi dall’ approccio dirigista e top-down diventando invece una iniziativa partecipativa e multi-stakeholder. Il terzo articolo (“Local public spending, electoral consensus, and sustainable structural change”) esplora l'idea che, per governare il cambiamento strutturale in modo sostenibile, le iniziative politiche dovrebbero conciliare interessi contrapposti, per evitare l'esasperazione delle tensioni e il collasso del sistema. In particolare, il contributo sostiene che la spesa pubblica locale rappresenti un canale attraverso cui conciliare tali interessi contrapposti. I risultati producono implicazioni per i decisori politici che si debbono preoccupare di ottenere il consenso elettorale necessario per governare il cambiamento strutturale in modo sostenibile. Il quarto articolo ("Do informal institutions matter for the economic resilience of European regions? A study of the post-2008 shock") esplora la relazione tra istituzioni informali e "resilienza" nelle regioni dell'UE negli anni successivi alla Grande Recessione del 2008. Il quinto articolo ("Conceptualizing and measuring "industry resilience": composite indicators for post-shock industrial policy decision-making") sviluppa il concetto di resilienza industriale post-shock. Concetto che consente di fare luce sulla eterogeneità con cui i diversi settori reagiscono agli shock imprevisti, consentendo così ai decisori politici di elaborare iniziative industriali per incoraggiare la sostenibilità dei cambiamenti strutturali. Dal punto di vista metodologico, viene sviluppato un indicatore composito che consente di visualizzare e confrontare le performance settoriali in modo dinamico e lo applichiamo agli Stati Uniti dopo lo shock del 2008. Il sesto articolo ("Does Industry Resilience matter for post-shock Industrial Policy? A focus on tourism related industries") mette a punto la metodologia basata su indicatori compositi e la applica al caso italiano, mostrando in che misura i settori hanno reagito in modo eterogeneo allo shock del 2008

Volunteer Management During the 2015-16 and 2022-23 Refugee Crises. Insights from Asker and Kristiansand Municipalities

The study examines experiences of leaders from public and non-governmental organizations who were responsible for volunteers and management during the two recent refugee crises, Syrian (15-16) and Ukrainian (22-23). It focuses on cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing the challenges faced by refugees and volunteers. The research uses a qualitative methodology, including document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with volunteer leaders and public sector officials involved in the refugee crisis. The Findings of this research contribute to the understanding of volunteer management in the context of the refugee crisis and provide practical recommendations for NGOs and volunteer leaders. The study also aims to compare the strategies used by NGOs during the 2015-16 and Ukrainian crises and investigates the cooperation between the public and non governmental sectors during these crises. The research questions focus on how volunteer management was conducted by public and non-governmental organizations during the two refugee crises, and how the different sectors collaborated in addressing the needs of refugees

A National Dialogue on Health Information Technology and Privacy

Increasingly, government leaders recognize that solving the complex problems facing America today will require more than simply keeping citizens informed. Meeting challenges like rising health care costs, climate change and energy independence requires increased level of collaboration. Traditionally, government agencies have operated in silos -- separated not only from citizens, but from each other, as well. Nevertheless, some have begun to reach across and outside of government to access the collective brainpower of organizations, stakeholders and individuals.The National Dialogue on Health Information Technology and Privacy was one such initiative. It was conceived by leaders in government who sought to demonstrate that it is not only possible, but beneficial and economical, to engage openly and broadly on an issue that is both national in scope and deeply relevant to the everyday lives of citizens. The results of this first-of-its-kind online event are captured in this report, together with important lessons learned along the way.This report served as a call to action. On his first full day in office, President Obama put government on notice that this new, more collaborative model can no longer be confined to the efforts of early adopters. He called upon every executive department and agency to "harness new technology" and make government "transparent, participatory, and collaborative." Government is quickly transitioning to a new generation of managers and leaders, for whom online collaboration is not a new frontier but a fact of everyday life. We owe it to them -- and the citizens we serve -- to recognize and embrace the myriad tools available to fulfill the promise of good government in the 21st Century.Key FindingsThe Panel recommended that the Administration give stakeholders the opportunity to further participate in the discussion of heath IT and privacy through broader outreach and by helping the public to understand the value of a person-centered view of healthcare information technology

Capitalism in the Platform Age. Emerging Assemblages of Labor and Welfare in Urban Spaces,

This two-part work brings together the outcomes of the Horizon 2020 Project PLUS, “Platform Labor in Urban Spaces”. Running from December 2018 to March 2022, which included an extension from December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this research project investigated the main features and dimensions of the impact of digital platforms on the economy and society, with a specific focus on labour, urban transformations, and welfare. Sixteen partners, including universities, research centres, and cooperatives, investigated the operations of four digital platforms (AirBnb, Deliveroo, Helpling, and Uber) in seven European cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Lisbon, London, Paris, and Tallin). The research involved, in different ways, municipalities, independent researchers, platform managers, and established grassroot unions. The fact that the four abovementioned platforms operate in diverse fields—accommodation, food delivery, domestic labour, and transport—has allowed us to carry out a wide-ranging analysis of the rapid spread of digital platforms across the economy and society