Public appraisal of government efforts and participation intent in medico-ethical policymaking in Japan: a large scale national survey concerning brain death and organ transplant

BACKGROUND: Public satisfaction with policy process influences the legitimacy and acceptance of policies, and conditions the future political process, especially when contending ethical value judgments are involved. On the other hand, public involvement is required if effective policy is to be developed and accepted. METHODS: Using the data from a large-scale national opinion survey, this study evaluates public appraisal of past government efforts to legalize organ transplant from brain-dead bodies in Japan, and examines the public's intent to participate in future policy. RESULTS: A relatively large percentage of people became aware of the issue when government actions were initiated, and many increasingly formed their own opinions on the policy in question. However, a significant number (43.3%) remained unaware of any legislative efforts, and only 26.3% of those who were aware provided positive appraisals of the policymaking process. Furthermore, a majority of respondents (61.8%) indicated unwillingness to participate in future policy discussions of bioethical issues. Multivariate analysis revealed the following factors are associated with positive appraisals of policy development: greater age; earlier opinion formation; and familiarity with donor cards. Factors associated with likelihood of future participation in policy discussion include younger age, earlier attention to the issue, and knowledge of past government efforts. Those unwilling to participate cited as their reasons that experts are more knowledgeable and that the issues are too complex. CONCLUSIONS: Results of an opinion survey in Japan were presented, and a set of factors statistically associated with them were discussed. Further efforts to improve policy making process on bioethical issues are desirable

Openness in participation, assessment, and policy making upon issues of environment and environmental health: a review of literature and recent project results

Issues of environment and environmental health involve multiple interests regarding e.g. political, societal, economical, and public concerns represented by different kinds of organizations and individuals. Not surprisingly, stakeholder and public participation has become a major issue in environmental and environmental health policy and assessment. The need for participation has been discussed and reasoned by many, including environmental legislators around the world. In principle, participation is generally considered as desirable and the focus of most scholars and practitioners is on carrying out participation, and making participation more effective. In practice also doubts regarding the effectiveness and importance of participation exist among policy makers, assessors, and public, leading even to undermining participatory practices in policy making and assessment

Drivers of risk perceptions about the invasive non-native plant Japanese knotweed in domestic gardens

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.How people perceive risks posed by invasive non-native plants (INNP) can influence attitudes and consequently likely influence behavioural decisions. Although some drivers of risk perception for INNP have been identified, research has not determined those for INNP in domestic gardens. This is concerning as domestic gardens are where people most commonly encounter INNP, and where impacts can be particularly acute. Using a survey approach, this study determined the drivers of perceptions of risk of INNP in domestic gardens and which risks most concern people. Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica, in Cornwall, UK, where it is a problematic INNP in domestic gardens, was used as a case study. Possible drivers of risk were chosen a priori based on variables previously found to be important for environmental risks. Participants perceived Japanese knotweed to be less frequent on domestic property in Cornwall if their occupation involved the housing market, if they had not had Japanese knotweed in their own garden, if they did not know of Japanese knotweed within 5 km of their home, or if they were educated to degree level. Participants who thought that the consequences of Japanese knotweed being present on domestic property could be more severe had occupations that involved the housing market, knew of Japanese knotweed within 5 km of their home, or were older. Although concern about the damage Japanese knotweed could do to the structure of a property was reported as the second highest motivation to control it by the majority of participants, the perception of threat from this risk was rated as relatively low. The results of this study have implications for policy, risk communication, and garden management decisions. For example, there is a need for policy that provides support and resources for people to manage INNP in their local area. To reduce the impact and spread of INNP we highlight the need for clear and accurate risk communication within discourse about this issue. The drivers identified in this study could be used to target awareness campaigns to limit the development of over- or under-inflated risk perceptions.This project was funded as part of the Wildlife Research Co-Operative between the University of Exeter and the Animal and Plant Health Agency

Managing the social amplification of risk: a simulation of interacting actors

A central problem in managing risk is dealing with social processes that either exaggerate or understate it. A longstanding approach to understanding such processes has been the social amplification of risk framework. But this implies that some true level of risk becomes distorted in social actors’ perceptions. Many risk events are characterised by such uncertainties, disagreements and changes in scientific knowledge that it becomes unreasonable to speak of a true level of risk. The most we can often say in such cases is that different groups believe each other to be either amplifying or attenuating a risk. This inherent subjectivity raises the question as to whether risk managers can expect any particular kinds of outcome to emerge. This question is the basis for a case study of zoonotic disease outbreaks using systems dynamics as a modelling medium. The model shows that processes suggested in the social amplification of risk framework produce polarised risk responses among different actors, but that the subjectivity magnifies this polarisation considerably. As this subjectivity takes more complex forms it leaves problematic residues at the end of a disease outbreak, such as an indefinite drop in economic activity and an indefinite increase in anxiety

Mäntsäläläisten pk-yritysten käyttämät B2B-palvelut

Suomalaisista yrityksistä valtaosa on kooltaan pieniä ja keskisuuria, eli pk-yrityksiä. Koska pk-yritysten asema työllistäjänä on kansantaloudellisesti merkittävä, on näiden yritysten toimintaympäristöön kiinnitettävä jatkuvasti enemmän huomiota. Yritysten toimintaympäristöjä kehittämässä ovat alueelliset elinkeinoyhtiöt, joiden tarkoituksena on huolehtia alueiden kilpailukyvyn kehittymisestä ja ylläpitämisestä. Kun paikalliset yritykset menestyvät, turvaa se alueen työllisyyttä ja näin myös lisää asukkaiden hyvinvointia. Tämä opinnäytetyö tehtiin toimeksiantona Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy:lle. Tämä opinnäytetyö on luonteeltaan ostokäyttäytymistutkimus, jonka tarkoituksena oli tutkia Mäntsälässä toimivien pk-yritysten käyttämiä B2B-palveluita, sekä yritysten tyytyväisyyttä hankittuihin palveluihin. Tutkielmassa tutkittiin myös yritysten ostopäätösten taustoja, sekä ostopäätöksiin vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Yritysten ostopäätösten taustoja selvitettiin haastatteluiden avulla. Tutkielmassa selvitettiin myös, onko yrityksillä sellaisia palvelutarpeita, joihin Mäntsälästä ei nykyisellään löydy palveluntarjoajia, sekä mistä yritykset pääasiassa hankkivat tietoa suunnitellessaan uuden palvelun hankintaa. Vastauksia esitettyyn tutkimusongelmaan kerättiin kahden menetelmän avulla. Tutkielmaa varten tehtiin internetkysely, johon mäntsäläläisiä pk-yrityksiä kutsuttiin vastaamaan. Lisäksi täydentävänä aineistona käytettiin kolmea teemahaastattelua, jotka niin ikään on toteutettu yhteistyössä mäntsäläläisten yritysten kanssa. Tutkimustuloksista käy ilmi, että mäntsäläläiset pk-yritykset käyttävät B2B-palveluja laajasti ja hankkivat näitä palveluita sekä Mäntsälästä että muista kunnista. Yritykset ovat pääasiallisesti tyytyväisiä hankkimiinsa palveluihin. Yritysten ostopäätösten taustalla vaikuttaa merkittävästi hinnan lisäksi paikallisuus ja kumppanuus. Selkeänä tuloksena ilmeni, että paikalliset yritykset tekevät laitehankintansa pääasiassa muualta kuin Mäntsälästä. Erilaisia huoltopalveluja hankitaan paljon oman toimintaympäristön ulkopuolelta. Uutta palvelua hankittaessa merkittävimmät tiedonhankintakanavat ovat internetin omien hakujen lisäksi Mäntsälän Yrityskehityksen yritysrekisteri, sekä tästä rekisteristä johdettu Mäntsälän Nuorkauppakamarin palveluhakemisto. Suosittelut toisilta yrittäjiltä mainittiin tärkeäksi keinoksi saada tietoa uudesta palvelusta. Tutkielman avulla Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy saa tietoa paikallisesti toimivista yrityksistä, sekä niiden palvelutarpeista. Tutkielma antaa tietoa siitä, mitkä palvelut ovat Mäntsälässä hyvin edustettuina ja minkälaisia palvelutarpeita kunnassa toimivilla yrityksillä on. Tutkielma tarjoaa paikallisesti toimiville yrittäjille katsauksen oman toimintaympäristönsä tilanteesta ja siitä, miten muut yritykset toteuttavat hankintojaan Mäntsälässä. Lisäksi tutkielmasta esille nouseva kumppanuuden merkitys ostopäätökseen vaikuttavana tekijänä saattaa kannustaa yrityksiä miettimään paikallisten hankintojensa osuuden lisäämistä.B2B-services used by small and medium sized enterprises in Mäntsälä The majority of Finnish companies are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Because these companies have a significant status as employers, it is increasingly important to pay attention to the operating environment of these companies. These business environments are developed by municipal development companies, which aim to increase local competitiveness and to sustain it. When local companies can be successful in their own business environments, it secures municipal employment rate and also increases welfare. This thesis is an assignment from municipal development company Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy. The nature of this thesis is a study about organizational buying behaviour and the aim of this thesis is to research SMEs that operates in Mäntsälä. The main focus is to study companies to see what kind of B2B-services these companies use, and how satisfied they are with their current services. In this thesis, research is also focused on factors affecting organizational buyer behaviour. These factors have been studied by interviewing local companies in Mäntsälä. The study also presents what kind of B2B-services local companies would like to acquire in Mäntsälä, instead of other municipal areas and where these companies search information about new services when they found a need of a new service. Answers to these presented questions have been sought with two different research methods. The first one was internet survey questionnaire, which was send to SMEs in Mäntsälä to answer. Also as a complementary material this thesis includes three theme interviews, which companies in Mäntsälä have been taken part in. In the results of this organizational buyer behaviour research it is seen how the use of B2B-services in Mäntsälä SMEs is widespread in most situations. These services are acquired both in Mäntsälä and other municipal areas. Majority of companies are satisfied with the services they use. The factors affecting buying decision were most commonly price related factors, but also locality and partnership factors rise from the results of this thesis. Another clear conclusion of this thesis was an observation about companies acquiring most of their devices and repair services from other municipal areas than Mäntsälä. When finding information about new services, the most common way to gather information is by internet. Another ways of gathering information of new services are mentioned to be company register maintained by Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy. References and recommendations from another entrepreneurs were also a major way to gather information about new services. The goal of this assignment was to produce new information on Mäntsälä SMEs for the use of Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy. With this new information Mäntsälän Yrityskehitys Oy can serve local companies better. This thesis also gives local entrepreneurs valuable information about their busi-ness environment and of the way other local companies are buying their B2B-services