Towards A Model to Support the Reconciliation of Security Actions across Enterprises

As an increasing amount of businesses look towards collaborations to gain a strategic advantage in the marketplace, the importance of systems to support these collaborative activities significantly increases. Within this area, arguably one of the most important issues is supporting interaction security. This is both at the initial, higher level of humans from businesses agreeing on joint security needs and the lower level of security technologies (communication protocols, VPNs, and so on). As there has been a substantial amount of work on the latter level, this work-in-progress paper tries to restore some of the balance by considering the problem of supporting companies at the business (and more social/human) level of interactions. We focus particularly on the initial tasks of negotiating and reconciling their high-level security needs. Our specific aim is therefore to explore the design of a model which replicates the human decision-making process with regards to the reconciliation of conflicting security needs at this higher level. The modelling of such a process is a prime area for research in the socio-technical field because it seeks to formalise several social aspects not typically modelled in a technical sense

Towards Age-Friendly Work in Europe: A Life-Course Perspective on Work and Ageing from EU Agencies

[Excerpt] The European population is ageing owing to decreasing birth rates and increasing longevity. Population ageing is associated with a decrease in the size and ageing of the workforce. The majority of the EU Member States have reacted to this development by, among other measures, increasing retirement ages and limiting early access to pensions. Nevertheless, a large percentage of workers in the EU do not stay in employment until the official retirement age. The reasons for this are diverse, and will be examined in more detail in this report. Policy-makers are faced with the challenge of addressing this demographic change and its implications for employment, working conditions, living standards and the sustainability of welfare states. The working conditions of older workers and their participation in the labour market are affected by various policy areas (see also Table 1). This report aims to outline various aspects of the working conditions of the ageing workforce and related policies

The CEPS Plan for the Balkans

In 1999, CEPS initiated the Europa South-East Policy Forum, a group of leading independent policy institutes from every country of South-East Europe, the network of Open Society Institutes. The objective was to contribute to the full integration of the whole of the region into the European Union. This report advocates accelerated political and economic reforms in these countries in the aftermath of the war, on the assumption that the European Union itself would make radical moves in its policies to support the process

RAMSI Ten Years On - From Post-Conflict Stabilisation to Development in Solomon Islands?

The archipelagic nation of Solomon Islands in the sw Pacific experienced a debilitating internal conflict between 1998 and 2003. What began as an ethnic conflict evolved into a wider breakdown of law and order that led to the progressive collapse of government, closure of commercial enterprises and threat of national bankruptcy. In mid-2003 the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was mobilised and deployed under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Forum. Led and largely funded by the Australian government, RAMSI sought to restore security and stability to the troubled nation through a combination of policing and law enforcement, institutional strengthening with central government agencies and measures aimed at reviving and growing the national economy. Ten years later and the mission is undergoing drawdown and the transition of its development programs into regular bilateral and multilateral aid programs. While RAMSI has made a substantial contribution to the restoration of security and stability in the aftermath of conflict, many outstanding challenges remain. These include issues of political economy and how these are impacting on the quality of governance, service delivery and nation-building, as well as longstanding structural issues with the formal economy, set against prevailing patterns of population growth and internal migration. These challenges are examined in the context of Solomon Islands socio-economic characteristics and recent history with a view to assessing the country's prospects for enduring stability in the post-RAMSI era

Serbia - public sector accounting review : report on the enhancement of public sector financial reporting

The government’s public financial management (PFM) Reform Program 2016-2020 foresees the gradual transition of public sector financial reporting from a cash basis to an accrual basis of accounting and the application of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This will significantly improve the quality of financial information and should enable better informed decision-making, more efficient use of public funds and resources and improved fiscal performance. This Report on the Enhancement of Public Sector Financial Reporting is one output of the Serbia Public Sector Accounting Reform Technical Assistance project funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) through the Strengthening Accountability and Fiduciary Environment (SAFE) Trust Fund under the Public Sector Accounting and Reporting Program (PULSAR) which provides support for the development and implementation of public sector accounting standards. This report supports the development of a plan towards that goal by assessing the institutional framework for public sector accounting as well as the gap between Serbian public sector generally accepted accounting principles (PS GAAP) and IPSAS

Victorian Aboriginal economic strategy 2013-2020

The Victorian Aboriginal Economic Strategy was launched by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on 6 December 2013. The Strategy leverages the strengths of Aboriginal Victorians and the State economy to build opportunity and economic prosperity and deliver better life outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. Economic participation and development are central to the Government\u27s reform agenda for closing the gap, the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2013–2018. The Strategy extends from education, to more job opportunities with career pathways, and growing Aboriginal business enterprise and investment. Actions under the Strategy build on efforts across the Victorian Government and leverage private sector partners, to deliver strong outcomes in education, training employment and business enterprise. A Victorian Aboriginal Economic Board will be established in 2014 to support delivery of the Strategy, cut through red tape and build strategic connections with industries and the finance sector. The development of the Strategy has been informed by Ministerial Roundtables and targeted consultations held during 2013, discussions at the Victorian Aboriginal Economic Development Summit hosted in 2012 and the work of the Victorian Aboriginal Economic Development Group. The Strategy is available at the following links: Victorian Aboriginal Economic Strategy 2013 - 2020 (Word 3.51 MB) Victorian Aboriginal Economic Strategy 2013 - 2020 (PDF 4 MB

Enabling prosperity: success factors in Indigenous economic development

Public discussion about ‘closing the gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians tends to focus on measures such as life expectancy, child mortality, early childhood education, literacy and numeracy, and employment.  These are, rightly, essential markers of health and well-being for all people, and for decades they have provided evidence that Australia’s health and social systems have not met the needs of Indigenous Australians. However, there is another story, one that focuses on the measures of success, as evident in the many thriving Indigenous businesses and corporations around the country.  Across Australia, there is a growing story of economic security and success, in which Indigenous Australians are creating enterprises combining sound business principles with strong cultural and social foundations for the benefit of individuals, families and communities. Urbis was commissioned by Westpac to undertake research into Indigenous business development, to provide an evidence base to support the work of the Empowered Communities group. The report, Enabling Prosperity: Success Factors in Indigenous Economic Development, suggests that these factors are much the same as for any other businesses: human capital, access to capital and markets, infrastructure, location and an authorising environment created through government policy and regulation. In practice, businesses succeed because of more than one factor, and multiple factors can strengthen the capacity of a business to grow and develop.  For instance, access to capital often relies on the development of successful partnerships, while ownership of land and resources requires human capital to realise its potential. Indigenous culture can be both a support and a resource. Individual attitude and vision are also essential ingredients in business success, while government plays an important role in ensuring the regulatory environment enables rather than hinders business efforts. Much can be learned by examining successful Indigenous businesses both in Australia and internationally. Businesses are the key driver for wealth creation, helping to provide job opportunities and improve social and economic conditions. Fostering business success, therefore, has the potential to increase employment, improve living standards, and contribute to stable and nurturing communities. Current government policy frameworks, such as the Indigenous Economic Development Strategy, are largely focused on increasing education and training and generating opportunities for private sector employment and enterprise.  This is important. Just as important is the contribution that successful community or non-profit enterprises can make in providing employment, generating business investment for growth, building partnerships and demonstrating positive role models. The Empowered Communities group is such a national initiative. Formed in 2013, the group brings together Indigenous leaders from eight communities across Australia and seeks to strengthen Indigenous individuals and communities through a range of activities (see https://empoweredcomms.wordpress.com for more information). Strategies that strengthen both individual and community business initiatives will help to ensure that more Indigenous Australians have the opportunity to live successful and productive lives.  Everyone has a contribution to make in this regard. Governments can create an enabling regulatory environment. Banks can enable access to capital. Local chambers of commerce can foster business development through support and networks for new entrepreneurs. Communities and individuals can purchase goods and services from Indigenous businesses. Building a strong and vibrant Indigenous business and social enterprise sector can then contribute to improving many of the health and social indicators, such as improving nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices, and increasing employment and education.  Efforts to improve Indigenous outcomes really are everyone’s business