Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports: Policy & Practice Opportunities at a Critical Moment

Examines the consequences of a lack of coordination and seamless service delivery across support programs. Outlines policy, procedural, and data utilization options and best practices to expedite receipt of benefits across programs, as well as challenges

Bus rapid transit

Effective public transit is central to development. For the vast majority of developing city residents, public transit is the only practical means to access employment, education, and public services, especially when such services are beyond the viable distance of walking or cycling. Unfortunately, the current state of public transit services in developing cities often does little to serve the actual mobility needs of the population. Bus services are too often unreliable, inconvenient and dangerous. In response, transport planners and public officials have sometimes turned to extremely costly mass transit alternatives such as rail-based metros. Due to the high costs of rail infrastructure, cities can only construct such systems over a few kilometres in a few limited corridors. The result is a system that does not meet the broader transport needs of the population. Nevertheless, the municipality ends up with a long-term debt that can affect investment in more pressing areas such as health, education, water, and sanitation. However, there is an alternative between poor public transit service and high municipal debt. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) can provide high-quality, metro-like transit service at a fraction of the cost of other options. This document provides municipal officials, non-governmental organizations, consultants, and others with an introduction to the concept of BRT as well as a step-by-step process for successfully planning a BRT system

An exploratory study of factors influencing make-or-buy of sales activities

Purpose This paper aims to explore how sales managers make resourcing decisions with particular focus on their perceptions of outsourcing. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on in-depth interviews with 29 senior sales managers from a variety of industry sectors based in the UK. All had more than five years’ experience of making resourcing decisions. Findings The findings are that resourcing decisions are prompted by cost pressure, the need to access skills or to improve flexibility. Outsourcing preferences are strongly moderated by perceived reputational risk. Availability of suitable suppliers and the ability to manage outsourcing are also practical moderators. Research limitations/implications The sample was purposeful in identifying and accessing senior respondents in substantial companies with extensive experience, but it was not random. Practical implications Respondents reported a lack of information available when making resourcing decisions; the model proposed provides a framework by which sales managers can identify the factors which should be taken into account and the information they need to make objective evaluations of resourcing options. Originality/value It has been acknowledged in prior literature that there is relatively little outsourcing of sales activities. This is the first exploratory study of the perceptions of sales managers about resourcing options and the first conceptualisation of how sales resourcing decisions are made

Marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs): important approaches to obtain (firm and sector) greenhouse gases (GHGs) reduction

The study aims to identify appropriate methods that can help organisations to reduce energy use and emissions by using an effective concept of sustainability. In different countries, estimates of marginal abatement costs for reducing GHG emissions have been widely used. Around the world, many researchers have focused on MACCs and reported different results. This may due to different assumptions used which in turn lead to uncertainty and inaccuracy. Under these circumstances, much attention has been paid to the need for the role of MACC in providing reliable information to decision makers and various stakeholders. By reviewing the literature, this paper has analysed MACCs in terms of the role of different approaches to MACCs, representations of MACCs, MACC applications, pricing carbon, verification, and sectors analysis for energy and emissions projections. This paper concludes that MACCs should depend on actual data to provide more reliable information that may assist (firms and sectors) stockholders to determine what appropriate method for reducing emission

Medicaid's Role in the Health Benefits Exchange: A Road Map for States

Examines issues for integrating Medicaid into the administration, operation, and coverage continuum of insurance exchanges. Discusses eligibility, enrollment, and outreach; contracting, standards, and requirements; benefits design; and infrastructure

CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry - Plan of Work and Budget 2020

There were no significant changes in 2019 to FTA’s theory of change1. FTA plans all its work on the basis of its operational priorities. These, in turn, focusresearch towards major development demands and knowledge gaps, orienting FTA towards the implementation of the SDGs and other global commitments. Three operational priorities were added in 2020 (see list in Appendix 1) to better delineate pre-existing research areas addressing development bottlenecks needing dedicated investment and visibility: smallholder tree-crop commodities, tree seeds and seedlings delivery systems, and foresight. FTA organized in 2019, at the request of its ISC, a joint ISC-FTA workshop on impact assessment methods for the program. Based on the outcomes of this workshop FTA will, inter alia, revisit in 2020 its impact pathways and end of programme outcomes, and if need be, corresponding adjustments to the ToC of FTA and/or of its FPs will be made

CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry - Plan of Work and Budget 2020

There were no significant changes in 2019 to FTA’s theory of change1. FTA plans all its work on the basis of its operational priorities. These, in turn, focusresearch towards major development demands and knowledge gaps, orienting FTA towards the implementation of the SDGs and other global commitments. Three operational priorities were added in 2020 (see list in Appendix 1) to better delineate pre-existing research areas addressing development bottlenecks needing dedicated investment and visibility: smallholder tree-crop commodities, tree seeds and seedlings delivery systems, and foresight. FTA organized in 2019, at the request of its ISC, a joint ISC-FTA workshop on impact assessment methods for the program. Based on the outcomes of this workshop FTA will, inter alia, revisit in 2020 its impact pathways and end of programme outcomes, and if need be, corresponding adjustments to the ToC of FTA and/or of its FPs will be made