The Role of Crown Corporations in the Canadian Economy: An Analytical Framework

Government interference in markets arouses heated emotions on both sides of the political spectrum. But the fact remains that governments of all stripes routinely play a direct role in the economy. Motivations run the gamut from the economic (correcting perceived market failures) to the ethical (addressing social injustice) to the nakedly political (ideology or the status quo demands it). This paper offers a highly readable theoretical and practical framework for understanding federal and provincial governments’ market interventions in sectors including power generation, alcohol and mail delivery. Public ownership can advance a range of normative objectives, so the choices, reasons and outcomes for the government, the Canadian economy, Crown corporation employees and the general public can vary as widely as the enterprises involved. But in asking why and how and assessing ways and means, the authors bring together a substantial body of knowledge and expertise, providing an essential guide to a phenomenon that, like it or not, will remain a major part of Canada’s economic landscape for a long time to come

Increasing the intensity and comprehensiveness of aphasia services: identification of key factors influencing implementation across six countries

Background: Aphasia services are currently faced by increasing evidence for therapy of greater intensity and comprehensiveness. Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programs (ICAPs) combine these elements in an evidence-based, time-limited group program. The incorporation of new service delivery models in routine clinical practice is, however, likely to pose challenges for both the service provider and administering clinicians. This program of research aims to identify these challenges from the perspective of aphasia clinicians from six countries and will seek to trial potential solutions. Continual advancements in global communication technologies suggest that solutions will be easily shared and accessed across multiple countries. Aims: To identify the perceived and experienced barriers and facilitators to the implementation of 1) intensive aphasia services, 2) comprehensive aphasia services, and 3) ICAPs, from aphasia clinicians across six countries. Methods and procedures: A qualitative enquiry approach included data from six focus groups (n = 34 participants) in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland. A thematic analysis of focus group data was informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Outcomes and results: Five prominent theoretical domains from the TDF influenced the implementation of all three aphasia service types across participating countries: environmental context and resources, beliefs about consequences, social/professional role and identity, skills, and knowledge. Four overarching themes assisted the identification and explanation of the key barriers and facilitators: 1. Collaboration, joint initiatives and partnerships, 2. Advocacy, the promotion of aphasia services and evidence-based practice, 3. Innovation, the ability to problem solve challenges, and 4. Culture, the influence of underlying values. Conclusions: The results of this study will inform the development of a theoretically informed intervention to improve health services’ adherence to aphasia best practice recommendations

A more promising architecture? Commissioners’ perspectives on the reconfiguration of personality disorder services under the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway

Purpose – This paper explores the views of NHS England (NHSE) and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) commissioners about the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway. Design/methodology/approach – Thematic analysis of four semi-structured interviews with NHSE and HMPPS commissioners. Findings – Commissioners offered a cautious but confident assessment of the potential effectiveness of the OPD pathway, drawing particular attention to its potential to enhance the confidence and competency of staff, offer better value for money and provide enhanced progression routes for offenders with personality disorders. Additionally, commissioners identified a number of potential risks for the pathway including wider system flux, funding availability, multi-agency working, offender engagement and the need to evidence effectiveness. Research limitations/implications – Our analysis is based on a small number of interviews. However, there are only a limited number of commissioners involved with the OPD pathway. Practical implications – While the stronger focus on progression in the OPD pathway is a welcome departure from a narrow focus on high security DSPD services, the foundations of the OPD pathway ultimately lie with the DSPD programme and similar challenges are likely to follow. The system within which the pathway operates is subject to a great deal of flux and this inevitably poses significant challenges for pathway services, staff and offenders, as well as for those of us charged with its evaluation. Originality/value – There has been limited empirical work with commissioners in the mental health field. Our paper offers a unique insight into the perspectives of those responsible for commissioning the OPD pathway

Persistent punishment : users views of short prison sentences

Semi-structured interviews were conducted of 22 prisoners to gather information about the characteristic features of short prison sentences. Themes raised in comments included: the frequency and quality of sentences, addiction, family, and penal legitimacy. Most of the participants had extensive experience of prison, and the effects of this played out across sentences and years, accumulating and amplifying impacts. And, despite expressions of guilt and remorse, most participants saw their sentence as unjust, and mainly a reaction to offending history. We conclude by suggesting the need for research to shift focus from evaluating individual penal interventions towards more holistic and narrative accounts that cut across sentences

A high-temperature heat pump for compressed heat energy storage applications: Design, modeling, and performance

The current paper presents the design and performance of a high-temperature heat pump (HTHP) integrated in an innovative, sensible, and latent heat storage system. The HTHP has been designed to work between a heat source from 40 to 100 °C and a heat sink above 130 °C. An initial refrigerant analysis has revealed that R-1233zd(E) is the best candidate to meet the required performance and environmental considerations. The first part of this paper deals with the sizing and selection of the main components while discussing the challenges and working limits. A numerical model is also presented and validated. The second part of the paper is dedicated to develop parametric studies and performance maps under different operating conditions. The results show that the current HTHP, at a source temperature of 80 °C, consumes from 3.23 to 9.88 kW by varying the compressor’s speed from 500 to 1500 rpm. Heat production is achieved in the form of latent heat (7.40 to 21.59 kW) and sensible heat (from 6.35 to 17.94 kW). The heating coefficient of performance (COPHTHP) is around 4.This work has been partially funded by grant agreement No. 764042 (CHESTER project) of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The authors would like to express their deep gratitude to Prof. Dr. Jose Miguel Corberán Salvador for his perseverance, encouragement, and invaluable guidance during this work

The Role of Polar Pili in the Adherence of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa to Injured Canine Tracheal Cells: A Semiquantitative Morphologic Study

Pseudomonas aeruginosa adheres to respiratory epithelial cells in a highly specific fashion. In order to study the role of P. aeruginosa polar pili in the adherence process we conducted a quantitative morphological electron microscopic examination of P. aeruginosa adherence to SO2 injured canine tracheal cells in vitro. A pilin lacking background strain of P. aeruginosa PAK (BLP2) was constructed using a gene replacement and it in turn was engineered to express either the pilin gene of P. aeruginosa PAO, PAK , or no pilin gene . After 30 minutes incubation of these bacterial strains with injured canine tracheal rings the P. aeruginosa strains expressing pili adhered quantitatively more to the injured tracheal cells than did the pili lacking strains. PAO bearing strains adhered in greater numbers than PAK bearing strains. Healthy tracheal cells did not have any bacteria bound to their surfaces. The bacteria bound to the cilia and lateral edge of the exfoliating tracheal cells. Invasion of tracheal cells by piliated P. aeruginosa bacteria and penetration into the submucosa was also demonstrated. These data confirm the role of pili as important adhesins to injured tracheal cells. The difference in the adherence characteristics of pilin types PAK versus PAO may relate to the differences in the primary structure of these two pilin molecules

Mejoramientos de envolvente para la eficiencia energética de viviendas en el centro-sur de Chile

This manuscript is part of the research project "Integrated Design for Energy Efficient Housing Reconstruction." It exposes the diagnosis of energy and construction conditions of dwellings of 3 regions in the south central area of Chile, which was the most affected by the earthquake of February 27th, 2010. With this aim, it reviews predominant characteristics of the building envelopes in 22 cities. It analyzes energy performance and it recommends thermal improvements for dwellings either under construction stage or during occupancy stage, which are critical for energy savings and efficiency. It proposes strategies to improve energy efficiency through vertical envelopes, with a base case and two comparative scenarios. It proposes economic, constructive and architectural planning strategies, with the possibilities of social and financial implementation, which could help substantially to achieve energy efficiency.Este manuscrito forma parte del proyecto “Diseño Integrado para la Reconstrucción de Viviendas Energéticamente Eficientes”. Presenta evaluación y diagnóstico de condiciones constructivas y energéticas de viviendas de las tres regiones más afectadas en el centro-sur de Chile por el terremoto del 27 febrero de 2010. A ese propósito revisa e identifica, en el marco de la normativa actual, las condiciones generales y características de las envolventes predominantes en viviendas de 22 ciudades; analiza su comportamiento energético y recomienda medidas de acondicionamiento térmico de viviendas en ejecución o en uso, decisivas para el ahorro y la eficiencia energética. Formula una estrategia de mejoramiento energético residencial en las envolventes verticales con una base y dos escenarios de análisis comparativos. Propone una planeación económica, constructiva y arquitectónicamente efectiva, con posibilidades de implementación social y financiera, que podría colaborar sustancialmente a la eficiencia energética

Law, politics and the governance of English and Scottish joint-stock companies 1600-1850

This article examines the impact of law on corporate governance by means of a case study of joint-stock enterprise in England and Scotland before 1850. Based on a dataset of over 450 company constitutions together with qualitative information on governance practice, it finds little evidence to support the hypothesis that common-law regimes such as England were more supportive of economic growth than civil-law jurisdictions such as Scotland: indeed, levels of shareholder protection were slightly stronger in the civil-law zone. Other factors, such as local political institutions, played a bigger role in shaping organisational forms and business practice

National Evaluation of the Male Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Programme

The OPD Pathway Programme has created new services and treatment options for a large population of offenders. The qualitative data from this study suggests the OPD programme is having positive effects on both offenders and staff. This, and the result of the economic evaluation suggest that the use of case formulation may be a particular strength. Although a beneficial effect on proven offending behaviour was not observed statistically, this may not be indicative of Programme failure and it is too soon to definitively conclude whether the OPD Pathway is achieving its intended outcomes. It is important to note that, given the limitations to the quantitative evaluation, findings should be regarded as indicative and treated with caution. Furthermore, fully demonstrating the value of the OPD Pathway Programme will require data harmonisation across services and much longer periods of follow-up. Building trust, instilling hope, case formulation and workforce development will be key to the future success of the Pathway. Establishing trust and working in collaboration was seen as a major part of the therapeutic work by offenders and staff alike. This is borne out by other research about the Pathway and it seems likely that trust is a key mechanism underpinning therapeutic gains that can be made by offenders when they are being managed by Pathway services.HMPPS and NHS England