Management information systems in social safety net programs : a look at accountability and control mechanisms

This paper is intended to provide task managers and World Bank Group clients working on Social Safety Net (SSN) programs with practical and systematic ways to use information management practices to mitigate risks by strengthening control and accountability mechanisms. It lays out practices and options to consider in the design and implementation of the Management Information System (MIS), and how to evaluate and mitigate operational risks originating from running a MIS. The findings of the paper are based on the review of several Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs in the Latin American Region and various World Bank publications on CCTs. The paper presents a framework for the implementation of MIS and cross-cutting information management systems that is based on industry standards and information management practices. This framework can be applied both to programs that make use of information and communications technology (ICT) and programs that are paper based. It includes examples of MIS practices that can strengthen control and accountability mechanisms of SSN programs, and presents a roadmap for the design and implementation of an MIS in these programs. The application of the framework is illustrated through case studies from three fictitious countries. The paper concludes with some considerations and recommendations for task managers and government officials in charge of implementing CCTs and other safety nets program, and with a checklist for the implementation and monitoring of MIS.E-Business,Technology Industry,Education for Development (superceded),Labor Policies,Knowledge Economy

Optical Imaging of Very Luminous Infrared Galaxy Systems: Photometric Properties and Late Evolution

A sample of 19 low redshift (0.03$<$z$<$0.07) very luminous infrared galaxy (VLIRG: $10^{11}L_\odot<$ L[8-1000 $\mu$m] $< 10^{12} L_\odot$) systems (30 galaxies) has been imaged in $B$, $V$, and $I$. These objects cover a luminosity range that is key to linking the most luminous infrared galaxies with the population of galaxies at large. We have obtained photometry for all of these VLIRG systems, the individual galaxies (when detached), and their nuclei, and the relative behavior of these classes has been studied in optical color-magnitude diagrams. The photometric properties of the sample are also compared with previously studied samples of ULIRGs. The mean observed photometric properties of VLIRG and ULIRG samples, considered as a whole, are indistinguishable at optical wavelengths. This suggests that not only ULIRG, but also the more numerous population of VLIRGs, have similar rest-frame optical photometric properties as the submillimeter galaxies (SMG), reinforcing the connection between low-{\it z} LIRGs -- high-{\it z} SMGs. When the nuclei of the {\it young} and {\it old} interacting systems are considered separately, some differences between the VLIRG and the ULIRG samples are found. In particular, the old VLIRGs are less luminous and redder than old ULIRG systems. If confirmed with larger samples, this behavior suggests that the late-stage evolution is different for VLIRGs and ULIRGs. Specifically, as suggested from spectroscopic data, the present photometric observations support the idea that the activity during the late phases of VLIRG evolution is dominated by starbursts, while a higher proportion of ULIRGs could evolve into a QSO type of object.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures (degraded to reduce space). Figures 1 and 2 are multiple page figures (i.e. Fig 1a,b and Fig2a-g

Geography and computers: Past, present, and future

The discipline of Geography has long been intertwined with the use of computers. This close interaction is likely to increase with the embeddedness of computers and concomitant growth of spatially referenced data. To better understand the current situation, and to be able to better speculate about the future, this article provides two parallel perspectives: first, we offer an historical perspective on the relationship between Geography and computers; second, we document developments—in particular the nascent field of data science—that are currently taking place outside of Geography and to which we argue the discipline should be paying close attention. Combining both perspectives, we identify the benefits of tighter integration between Geography and Data Science and argue for the establishment of a new space—that we term Geographic Data Science—in which cross‐pollination could occur to the benefit of both Geography and the larger data community

INTEGRAL Field Spectroscopy of the Extended Ionized Gas in Arp 220

Integral field optical spectroscopy with the INTEGRAL system has been used to investigate for the first time the two-dimensional kinematic and ionization properties of the extended, warm ionized gas in Arp 220 over an area of 28 kpc by 15 kpc. The structure of the ionized gas is divided into well identified regions associated with the X-ray emitting plumes and extended lobes. Changes in the ionization state of the gas along the major axis of the plumes are detected, in particular in the outer regions of the northwestern plume where the transition between the main stellar body of the galaxy and a broad, low surface brightness tidal tail is located. If the plumes are produced by a starburst-driven galactic wind, the efficiency in the conversion of mechanical to radiation energy is a factor of at least 10 smaller than in galactic winds developed in edge-on spirals with well defined rotation and outflowing axis. The kinematic properties of the lobes are to a first order in agreement with the predictions of the merger scenario according to which the lobes are tidal-induced gas condensations produced during the merging process. The largest velocity gradients and velocity deviations from the systemic velocity are not associated with the plumes, but with the outer stellar envelope and broad tidal tails at distances of up to 7.5 kpc, indicating that the large scale kinematics of the extended ionized gas in Arp 220, is most likely dominated by the tidal-induced motions, and not by galactic winds associated with nuclear starbursts.Comment: To appear in Astrophysical Journal. Several values in tables 1 and 2 modified from previous version as the result of updated references. Figures and content remains unaffecte

Detection and Mapping of Decoupled Stellar and Ionized Gas Structures in the Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxy IRAS 12112+0305

Integral field optical spectroscopy with the INTEGRAL fiber-fed system and HST optical imaging are used to map the complex stellar and warm ionized gas structure in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy IRAS 12112+0305. Images reconstructed from wavelength-delimited extractions of the integral field spectra reveal that the observed ionized gas distribution is decoupled from the stellar main body of the galaxy, with the dominant continuum and emission-line regions separated by projected distances of up to 7.5 kpc. The two optical nuclei are detected as apparently faint emission-line regions, and their optical properties are consistent with being dust-enshrouded weak-[OI] LINERs. The brightest emission-line region is associated with a faint (m_{I}= 20.4), giant HII region of 600 pc diameter, where a young (about 5 Myr) massive cluster of about 2 $\times$ 10$^7$ $M_{\odot}$ dominates the ionization. Internal reddening towards the line-emitting regions and the optical nuclei ranges from 1 to 8 magnitudes, in the visual. Taken the reddening into aacount, the overall star formation in IRAS 12112+0305 is dominated by starbursts associated with the two nuclei and corresponding to a star formation rate of 80 $M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$.Comment: 2 figures, accepted to Ap.J. Letter

Considering context and dynamics: A classification of transit-orientated development for New York City

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a widely recognised planning strategy for encouraging the use of mass and active transport over other less sustainable modes. Typological approaches to TOD areas can be utilised to either retrospectively or prospectively assist urban planners with evidence-based information on the delivery or monitoring of TOD. However, existing studies aiming to create TOD typologies overwhelmingly concentrate input measures around three dimensions of: density, diversity and design; which might be argued as not effectively capturing a fuller picture of context. Moreover, such emphasis on static attributes overlooks the importance of human mobility patterns that are signatures of the dynamics of cities. This study proposes a framework to address this research gap by enhancing a conventional TOD typology through the addition of measures detailing the spatiotemporal dynamics of activity at transit stations; implemented for the selected case study area, New York City

A Principal Component Analysis (PCA)-based framework for automated variable selection in geodemographic classification

A geodemographic classification aims to describe the most salient characteristics of a small area zonal geography. However, such representations are influenced by the methodological choices made during their construction. Of particular debate are the choice and specification of input variables, with the objective of identifying inputs that add value but also aim for model parsimony. Within this context, our paper introduces a principal component analysis (PCA)-based automated variable selection methodology that has the objective of identifying candidate inputs to a geodemographic classification from a collection of variables. The proposed methodology is exemplified in the context of variables from the UK 2011 Census, and its output compared to the Office for National Statistics 2011 Output Area Classification (2011 OAC). Through the implementation of the proposed methodology, the quality of the cluster assignment was improved relative to 2011 OAC, manifested by a lower total withincluster sum of square score. Across the UK, more than 70.2% of the Output Areas (OAs) occupied by the newly created classification (i.e. AVS-OAC) outperform the 2011 OAC, with particularly strong performance within Scotland and Wales

A reproducible notebook to acquire, process and analyse satellite imagery

Satellite imagery is often used to study and monitor Earth surface changes. The open availability and extensive temporal coverage of Landsat imagery has enabled changes in temperature, wind, vegetation and ice melting speed for a period of up to 46 years. Yet, the use of satellite imagery to study cities has remained underutilised, partly due to the lack of a methodological approach to capture features and changes in the urban environment. This notebook offers a framework based on Python tools to demonstrate how to batch-download high-resolution satellite imagery; and enable the extraction, analysis and visualisation of features of the built environment to capture long-term urban changes