Applying economic analysis to technical assistance projects

The author recommends using more quantitative economic analysis in appraising technical assistance loans and loan components. After giving a brief history of tecnhical assistance and the problems commonly associated with it, he describes classifications of technical assistance, proposes a new typology to be used for project appraisal, suggests methods for screening projects, and discusses different levels of economic analysis. He shows how the typology and economic analysis could be applied to 40 projects in the Europe and Central Asia region, Although some of the suggested approaches are sophisticated and demanding, much of it relies on fairly simple techniques. The author estimates that roughly 60 percent of the technical assistance in his sample was suitable for quantitative analysis. Using four case studies, he demonstrates how quantitative economic analysis could be used more frequently in the appraisal process. The author recommends that all technical assistance be classified according to the methodology suitable for its appraisal and evaluation. In cases in which little or no quantitative analysis is used, the staff officer can and should provide a justification -in which case it should still be possible to conceptualize the problem in economic terms. Essential technical assistance should be included when calculating the economic rate of return on a project. When technical assistance is excluded from this calculation, a strong justification for such assistance should be given or it should be omitted from the project. In his sample, the author estimates that about 80 percent of the technical assistance in investment projects was not essential for project implementation. In the 12 projects for which an economic rate of return was calculated in the appraisal, the technical assistance was not included in the estimate -even though 53 percent of this technical assistance was deemed necessary to the project.Decentralization,Development Economics&Aid Effectiveness,Banks&Banking Reform,Economic Theory&Research,ICT Policy and Strategies,Poverty Assessment,Banks&Banking Reform,ICT Policy and Strategies,Economic Theory&Research,Country Strategy&Performance

An Examination of Significant Issues in Naval Maintenance

AbstractThis paper summarises qualitative research undertaken within the “In-Service” stage of the lifecycle of Royal Navy surface ships and submarines. Whilst In-Service, Royal Navy vessels will typically cycle through three phases, i.e. Tasking, Upkeep and Regeneration. A series of semi-structured recorded interviews conducted with key stakeholders in each phase identifies and highlights common issues encountered whilst In-Service. Having identified common issues, e.g. risk, obsolescence, manpower availability, etc. additional interviews were undertaken to triangulate the results with other safety critical companies operating and maintaining complex systems, i.e. a power company operating an advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactor, rail infrastructure and Europe's largest regional airline

Sediment burial stress response, bio-indicators and thresholds for a tropical multi-species seagrass assemblage: Report of Theme 5 - Project 5.5.2 prepared for the Dredging Science Node

Changes to the amount of light and burial by the deposition of suspended sediments are presumed to be major mechanisms by which dredging can impact seagrasses. This report presents findings from a controlled burial experiment that aimed to determine the effects of burial by sediments on the growth of two seagrass species found in the northwest of Western Australia (NW WA). The report provides guidance and protocols for the application of the research outputs (e.g. seagrass burial stress:response relationships, sub-lethal and lethal bio-indicators and thresholds) to the prediction, assessment, monitoring and management of dredging programs in NW WA..

Response and recovery of a mixed tropical seagrass assemblage to variation in the frequency and magnitude of light deprivation. Report of Theme 5 - Project 5.5.3 prepared for the Dredging Science Node

The capacity of seagrasses to cope with episodes of light deprivation from overlying turbid waters may not only depend on the absolute quantity of light they receive during that episode, but also on how the light deprivation varies through time. For example, turbidity and therefore light reduction may be relatively constant over the episode or it may fluctuate depending on the frequency of pulsed turbidity events. This report presents findings from a controlled mesocosm experiment that aimed to determine the responses of seagrasses to, and recovery from, differences in the pattern of the delivery of light. The study focussed on two seagrass species found in the northwest of Western Australia (NW WA). The report provides guidance and protocols for the application of the research outputs (e.g. light stress frequency and response relationships, recovery potential, sub-lethal and lethal bio-indicators and thresholds) to impact prediction, monitoring and/or management of dredging programs in NW WA..

Seagrass Halophila ovalis is affected by light quality across different life history stages

Seagrass meadows provide crucial ecosystem services to the coastal zone but are threatened globally. Seagrass loss to date has mainly been attributed to anthropogenic activities that reduce light quantity (amount of photosynthetic photon flux density), such as dredging, flooding and eutrophication. However, light quality (wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum) is also altered by these anthropogenic stressors. This study addressed the effect of light quality changes on seagrasses. Aquarium-based experiments were conducted to determine whether the seagrass Halophila ovalis (R.Br.) Hook f. responds to different light quality treatments. Separate experiments were performed in which adults, seeds or seedlings were subjected to monochromatic light treatments in the blue (peak λ %= 451 nm), green (peak λ = 522 nm), yellow (peak λ = 596 nm) and red (peak λ = 673 nm) wavelengths with a control of full-spectrum light (λ = 400 - 700 nm, at 200 µmol photons m-2 s-1). This study is unique in that it measured seagrass responses to light across several plant scales (physiology, productivity, morphology and biomass) as well as across life-history stages (seeds, seedlings, adults and flowering). Adult plants responded differently to seeds and seedlings but were generally consistent with terrestrial angiosperms: blue light decreased below-ground productivity; green light influenced morphology (through increased rhizome internode length); red light enhanced seed germination and survival. The findings indicate that both natural and human-induced changes in light quality could significantly affect seagrass growth and reproduction. As a range of anthropogenic activities are currently contributing to the global losses of seagrasses, this research provides timely information on how light quality influences different seagrass life history stages

Synthesis Report: Defining thresholds and indicators of primary producer response to dredging-related pressures: Report of Theme 5 prepared for the Dredging Science Node

Seagrasses form a small component of a diverse group of organisms termed ‘benthic primary producers’. Benthic primary producers are organisms that grow on the sea-bed that obtain some or all of their energy needs from photosynthesis. This includes animals such as scleractinian corals and some sponges that host microscopic intercellular algae, coralline and turf algae, and the larger seaweeds such as the kelps and sargassum. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, more closely related to land plants than seaweeds and algae. Seagrasses live mostly in soft sediments, and can be found from the shallow intertidal zone through to a depth of 60 m when waters are exceptionally clear allowing sufficient sunlight to reach the seafloor. Some species form persistent underwater meadows, while others form transitory meadows, and occur in low-density patches or as understorey species. Seagrasses typically require more light than algae to survive because of the respiratory demand of the underground roots and rhizomes. Seagrasses provide many important services. As primary producers, they contribute to the base of the marine foodweb and the habitats they form are important nursery areas for commercially-important prawns and provide shelter and foraging grounds for many species of fish. Seagrasses also play an important role in recycling nutrients, filtering water, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and protecting the coastline from erosion. Because they are sensitive to change, they make useful indicators of environmental health. Furthermore, tropical seagrasses are essential food sources for dugong which is a marine mammal of particular conservation and Indigenous cultural interest..

Naval Surface Ship In-service Information Exploitation

Abstract The Royal Navy operates a fleet of complex modern warships and submarines each comprising a system of systems often in harsh and potentially volatile environments. The maintenance of surface vessels is primarily undertaken by Babcock and BAe Systems in an alliance with the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence system engineering lifecycle is known as CADMID, this details the six phases of a projects' lifecycle from Concept through to Disposal. The "In-Service" phase of a naval vessel will typically constitute 70% of the artefact's through-life cost. During the "In-Service" phase the number and involvement of stakeholders will vary as the vessel cycles through Tasking, Upkeep and Regeneration. The paper considers the key stakeholders and their participation in each cyclical mode. Information to be exploited will be subject to two discrete drivers, firstly the information available for exploitation as a consequence the vessels' current cyclical mode, secondly, the characteristics of the information source.