Whistleblowing: the inside story - a study of the experiences of 1,000 whistleblowers

This report presents the findings of a collaborative research project by the University of Greenwich and Public Concern at Work, on how the whistleblowing process develops from internal to external whistleblowing. Data consists of 1,000 cases from the Public Concern at Work advice line

What works for Nutrition? Stories of success from Vietnam, Uganda and Kenya

This report discusses the drivers of progress in tackling multiple forms of malnutrition in these three countries: Vietnam, Uganda, and Kenya. It also identifies some of the challenges which pose as barriers to sustaining progress. Finally, it makes recommendations for key stakeholders such as governments of high burden countries, donor governments, development partners, and civil society, on their role to promote further success

Whistleblowing as a countermeasure strategy against food crime

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to undertake a two-phase desktop review of literature sources in order to conceptualise, frame, and critique existing whistleblowing models and strategies and consider how whistleblowing strategies form part of an effective food crime management system (FCMS) especially for small and medium sized organisations. Design/methodology/approach Existing literature from academic sources, financial, healthcare, food industries has been reviewed and critiqued in order to construct a conceptual framework that can inform future empirical research. Findings Whistleblowing strategies can form an effective part of a FCMS. Appropriate regulatory protection of those who whistleblow is crucial to not only safeguard individuals but also to mitigate food crime and protect consumers from loss and potential harm. Barriers to whistleblowing exist and if these are not addressed then individuals will be reluctant to report food crime. Further empirical research is required to assess the influence of these and other factors identified in this research and how they can be overcome. Originality/value The framework will provide food industry practitioners with guidance on the effective application of whistleblowing strategies within a FCMS

Two 'transitions': the political economy of Joyce Banda's rise to power and the related role of civil society organisations in Malawi

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Review of African Political Economy on 21/07/2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056244.2014.90194

Tourist attitudes towards water use in the developing world: A comparative analysis

This paper examines tourists' attitudes towards water use based on comparative data from interviews with tourists in Zanzibar, The Gambia and Dominican Republic. Unsustainable water use, accentuated by climate change, threatens access to water which potentially forms a source of conflict between tourists, tourism businesses, residents and the environment. Additionally it raises issues about rights of access to water. The results emphasise the actual nature and scale of tourist use of water and their lack of awareness of the impacts of this use on the local environment and community. This lack of awareness becomes an added indicator of the growing unsustainability of tourism in certain destinations and needs to be considered alongside the longer-term scenarios of climate change. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

No longer hungry in hospital : improving the hospital mealtime experience for older people through Action Research

‘The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.’ Copyright Blackwell Publishing DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.02063.xAims and objectives.  This study aimed to improve the mealtime experience of older people in a hospital setting through helping staff to make changes to their clinical practice and the ward environment. Background.  Poor nutritional care has been a persistent and seemingly intractable problem for many years. Methods.  We used an action research design for the study, drawing on techniques from practice development to support the action phase of the work, including action learning, role modelling good practice and reflection. The ward context was explored at the beginning and end of the study using focus groups, interviews, observation and benchmarking. Results.  Ward staff made a number of changes to their nursing practice. The most significant was that all staff became engaged with, prioritized and were involved in the mealtime, ensuring that there was sufficient time and expertise available to assist patients with eating. Conclusions.  This study demonstrates that it is possible to change nursing practice at mealtimes and that this change leads to improvements in patients’ experience through ensuring they receive the help they need. Relevance to clinical practice.  Although hospital mealtimes are frequently viewed as problematic, we have shown that nurses can be enabled to make changes to their practice that have a positive impact on both the mealtime experience and wider patient care.Peer reviewe

Growing old in England: economic and social issues

This paper examines the economic and social impact of changes in the duration of working life for the 80 per cent of older adults living in urban England. While some people are experiencing extended retirement because of moving out of paid work in their fifties, a growing minority of those beyond the state retirement age continue in paid employment. This paper highlights the considerable challenges for urban policy makers in addressing the economic and social inclusion of all older adults

Valuing waste, transforming cities

A waste crisis is emerging in the Asia and Pacific region, fuelled by rising quantities of waste, on the one hand, and poor regulation and management, on the other. This crisis threatens to overwhelm the resources and capacity of local governments and communities alike. Within this crisis, however, is a significant and largely untapped opportunity for transformative change. The waste-to-resource approach promotes a paradigm shift in the management of solid waste. Under this approach, rather than view waste as a problem and burden, it is seen as a valuable resource, one that can be managed to produce sustainable benefits for a range of actors. 'Valuing Waste, Transforming Cities' provides guidance, lessons and recommendations on how to accomplish this shift. It explores a low-cost, low-technology, community-based and decentralized waste-to-resource model called the Integrated Resource Recovery Centre. The publication articulates key lessons learned by ESCAP and its partners in establishing Integrated Resource Recovery Centres across cities in Asia and the Pacific since 2009. These lessons are grouped around four important areas for waste-to-resource initiatives: (i) building partnerships; (ii) awareness raising and behaviour change; (iii) facilities management and operational performance; and (iv) creating an enabling environment for replication and scaling up

Guidelines for solid waste management assessment (baseline survey) in secondary cities and small towns in Asia and the Pacific

As the economies and urban populations of Asia-Pacific continue to grow, the need for more sustainable waste management has become urgent. Poor waste management can lead to increased environmental pollution, the spread of vermin, public health risks and decreased attractiveness in urban areas. However, determining an appropriate waste management strategy can be a complicated and challenging endeavor for municipal governments. When making decisions and designing waste management strategies, governments must consider multiple components, such as the quantity and composition of waste produced in the urban area, the waste management and recycling systems present, local needs and willingness to pay for improved services, as well as the broader policy, institutional and cultural contexts. For this, a solid waste management assessment (baseline survey) of local conditions can generate critical information and data to support appropriate decision making. Based on experience undertaking and facilitating these assessments in a range of towns and cities across Asia-Pacific, ESCAP and Waste Concern have developed a set of guidelines to assess municipal solid waste and solid waste management conditions. These guidelines can support policy makers, practitioners and communities to better analyze and understand their local conditions. Solid waste management assessments can be carried out at the neighborhood or ward level, or for the entire town or city