More than Money: The potential of cross-sector relationships

Collaboration and co-funding between foundations has seen strong and consistent development. However, less has been done to explore and document the opportunities that collaboration across sectors between foundations, public and private sector funders may provide. 'More Than Money' provides a valuable insight into what it means for funders from different sectors to work collaboratively. Examples include the Pears Foundation working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families to turn a school linking project from a small pilot to a national project, or the development of the Evaluation Support Scotland project which began through informal discussions between a small group of funders from the statutory and voluntary sector, and continued to develop through funding from the Scottish Executive.We hope that this publication will help inform and encourage funders from all sectors as they continue to explore the exciting opportunities that cross sector collaboration can offer

Enhancing the integration of agri-food supply chains: theoretical issues and practical challenges in the UK malting barley supply chain

The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues that may affect the integration (i.e., the relationships) between the different actors that comprise a supply chain. Whist the theoretical part of the paper can be referred to any supply chain, the empirical part is focused on the UK barley to beer supply chain. The main motivation behind the topic is that improvements in the relationships amongst the different segments of a chain can enhance its efficiency and effectiveness, (e.g., through improvements in coordination and cooperation), and therefore, its competitiveness and long term sustainability. The paper is based on two complementary analyses: the first one consisted of a structural equation model (SEM) to determine those factors that affect the sustainability of relationships in the chain. The model is estimated based on a survey of 69 chain stakeholders. The second analysis comprised an in-depth case study based on an important malting-barley- to-beer supply chain in Eastern England, and had the purpose of providing further understanding of those aspects that were highlighted by the SEM. The overall results pointed out to five factors affecting the relationships in the malting barley to beer agri-food supply chain: communication, compatibility of aims in the supply chain, contractual relationships backed by professional regard and personal bonds; high levels of trust exist between the chain participants and a willingness to resolve any problems; and commercial benefit.supply chain management, malting barley supply chain, supply chain coordination, competitiveness, Agribusiness,

RED MEAT PRODUCERS’ PREFERENCES FOR STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH THE CAP REFORM IN SCOTLAND

It is recognised that following the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) farmers may go through a period of transition where they evaluate the different production alternatives available to them according to their existing situation, expectations and preferences. Drawing on a survey of Scottish beef and sheep producers undertaken in mid-2006, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the preferences of producers in relation to a number of possible economic strategies for production adjustment following CAP reform. The results show that the nature of adjustment is still uncertain, reflected in the high numbers of farmers that do not know what strategy to follow or that will maintain the same production levels despite the reform. However, a sizable percentage of farmers indicate their intentions to concentrate on the production of high quality output.Scottish agriculture, single farm payment, red meat producers., Agricultural and Food Policy, Q18.,

Collaborative supply chain initiatives as devices to cope with income variability in the Scottish red meat sector

The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether collaborative supply chain initiatives may help to provide income stability for farmers, focussing the analysis on the red meat supply chain in Scotland. Collaborative supply chains may contribute with two elements to attain higher income instability: first, greater demand stability and market access, and second, less variability in the price received for carcasses, as the produced output fits better the required specifications (i.e., no lost premia). The analysis of a survey applied to Scottish red meat producers showed that farmers that are part of a producers’ club do not differ from other farmers in their perception of marketing problems (e.g., price stability, etc.). However, in terms of their marketing aims, at least for beef producers, they seem to be more satisfied than farmers selling through auctions. An in-depth case study of a producers’ club in Scotland showed that farmers within the club are heterogeneous, not all of them taking advantage of the possibilities offered by the club in terms of improving the quality of their output and targeting better the required specifications, which creates potential to attain more stable incomeAgricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Security and Poverty, Livestock Production/Industries, Income instability, producers’ clubs, red meat sector, Scotland,

The Self Organised Learning Environment (SOLE) School Support Pack.

This document is designed to support the implementation of Sugata Mitra’s Self Organised Learning Environment (SOLE) into multiple school contexts. It contains ‘whole school’ related information for Head Teachers and senior staff in addition to teaching and learning support for teachers and support staff. A kindle version of Sugata Mitra's "Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning" is available here http://goo.gl/iaL4B

2020 CAO Clinical Practice Guideline: Optometric Low Vision Rehabilitation Executive Summary

The purpose of the Low Vision Clinical Practice Guideline is to assist Canadian Optometrists in the provision of the best rehabilitative care for patients with low vision. The guideline is based on current available best evidence, interpreted by an expert panel. The writing group includes optometrists from academia and private practice, representing various regions across Canada. The guideline will aid optometrists to identify patients who require low vision rehabilitation and recommends appropriate assessment and management

Replicating Successful Voluntary Sector Projects

This report is meant for foundations, funders, policy makers and organisations interested in replicating successful projects. Several steps in sustainable replication are identified and discussed. Finally, recommendations are made to foster learning from, and implementation of, voluntary sector projects that work

Theories of Social Change

Foundations choose one rather than other course of action or grant presumably in the belief that it is more likely than some other grant or activity to contribute to the fulfillment of the foundation's mission of making a difference in its chosen field. What broad approaches and assumptions underlie these choices? How do foundations perceive "problems"? What do they perceive as the causes and solutions of problems? What theories of intervention do they operate with? What tools of change/intervention do they see as most effective and available to them alone or in cooperation with others? This paper outlines broad approaches to understanding social change and how it can be achieved. In addition, this paper begins the process of identifying key variables/constraints which need to be taken into account in constructing decision paths for donors, foundation staff and leadership

Studies on the sucrose utilization system of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052

Bibliography: pages 117-130.Solventogenic clostridial strains were used extensively in the industrial acetone-butanolethanol (ABE) fermentation during the first half of this century. This fermentation was based predominantly on two substrates: corn mash (rich in starch) and molasses (rich in sucrose). Taxonomically distinct strains were used for ABE fermentations based on the two substrates. Although starch . utilization by amylolytic solventogenic clostridial strains had been investigated, sucrose utilization by saccharolytic solventogenic clostridial strains had not been comprehensively studied. This provided the impetus for the present study. The primary aim of the project was to provide a molecular and physiological characterization of the sucrose utilization system of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. The C. beijerinckii sucrose utilization operon, scrARBK, was cloned in three stages. In the first stage a C. beijerinckii genomic library was screened in Escherichia coli for clones able to utilize sucrose. Using this approach, a truncated scr operon was isolated. The remainder of the operon was isolated in the second and third stages by recovering a plasmid integrated into the scrB gene, and inverse-PCR respectively. The four genes of the scrARBK operon were prowsed to encode an Enzyme1IBC1ucrose protein of the PTS (ScrA); a transcriptional repressor of the GalR-Lacl family (ScrR), a sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase of the glucosyl hydrolase family 32 (ScrB) and an ATP-dependent fructokinase of the ribokinase/pfkB sugar kinase family (ScrK)