18 research outputs found
Governing wildfires:toward a systematic analytical framework
Despite recent research, a systematic approach to understanding wildfire governance is lacking. This article addresses this deficit by systematically reviewing governance theories and concepts applied so far in the academic literature on wildfires as a step toward achieving their more effective and holistic management. We engage our findings with the wider governance literature to unlock new thinking on wildfires as a process and outcome. This comparative approach enables us to propose a novel framework for analyzing wildfire governance based on four pillars: (1) actor participation in decision-making and decision taking; (2) actor collaboration and coproduction across and within levels, scales, and networks; (3) path dependencies and local place-based dynamics of wildfire incidence and comprehension; and (4) actor adaptation to and anticipation of wildfire risk to fashion effective institutions that address the global wildfire challenge. We show how this framework can help specify a suite of bespoke analytical and policy practitioner approaches to facilitate preemptive and restorative wildfire strategies via new networks between communities, states, and wider society, thus providing the basis for more equitable and sustainable governance of wildfire risks and impacts
Factors affecting the innovation process in the Cypriot food and beverage industry
The Food and Beverage industry, a leading sector of the Cypriot
manufacturing industry is under investigation in our study. The influence of
innovation as a development vehicle is considered and factors affecting it have
been investigated. In order to define and introduce these factors affecting
innovation in the Cypriot manufacturing sector a nationwide survey is carried
out. All five prefectures (Nicosia, Ammochostos, Limasol, Larnaca and Paphos)
are covered and a sample of 5% of the whole Food and Beverage sector is
surveyed. A closed questionnaire, made of five sections is used in order to collect
information that will be used in a second stage in order to introduce the
innovation factors affecting industrial development.
The results illustrate the gradual adoption of a pro-innovation culture in
the Cypriot Food and Beverage Industry. Among others it was shown, that
companies that have proceeded with product innovation, process innovation and
organizational innovation have experienced the impact of innovation on their
organizational performance.peer-reviewe
Towards reviving post-Olympic Athens as a cultural destination
This paper examines the effects of global change on the status and qualities of the Greek national capital, Athens, focusing on how they affect the development of cultural tourism in the city. Although Athens constituted one of the most significant destinations for Greek tourism in the past, in recent years it started to weaken. Athens is characterised by a series of problems, among them are the degradation of its environment and quality of life and traffic congestion. However, in terms of tourism development, the Olympic Games helped in re-imaging the city and upgrading its infrastructure. This study based on semi-structured interviews with top officials reveals how global change has affected Athens’ socio-cultural/economic status, identity and image. Despite the tourism policy/planning responses to global changes, Athens’ tourism continues to decline leaving unexplored potential such as its rich cultural heritage, new multicultural identity and the New Acropolis Museum. The paper suggests that cultural elements of capital cities must be multidimensional including a variety of attractions and amenities. The use of cultural heritage assets needs to be in line with global developments in order for cities to effectively leverage heritage for cultural tourism
Olympic legacy and cultural tourism: Exploring the facets of Athens' Olympic heritage
This study examines the effects of the Olympic Games on Athens’ cultural tourism and the city’s potential to leverage the Olympic legacy in synergy with its rich heritage in order to enhance its tourism product during the post-Games period. In doing so, a qualitative and interpretive approach was employed. This includes a literature review on Athens’ 2004 Olympics to identify the sport facilities and regeneration projects, which constitute the Olympic legacy and heritage. Based on that, an empirical analysis was undertaken, by collecting official documents about the 2004 Olympics, and conducting five semi-structured interviews with tourism/administrative officials. The findings indicate that the Olympiad contributed significantly to Athens’ built and human heritage, revealing the dimensions of new venues/facilities, infrastructure, transportation and aesthetic image of the city, and human capital enhancement. Hence, the Games affected to the multifaceted representation and reconstruction of the city’s identity and cultural heritage. However, the potential afforded from the post-Olympic Athens remains unrealised due to lack of strategic planning/management. The study concludes that there is a need to develop cross-leveraging synergies between the Olympic legacy and cultural tourism for the host city. Finally, a strategic planning framework for leveraging post-Games Olympic tourism is suggested in order to maximise the benefits of Olympic legacy and heritage in a host city’s tourism development
A global outlook on increasing wildfire risk:current policy situation and future pathways
International audienc
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) management practices in micro- and small-sized enterprises: The case of the Portuguese waste management sector
The waste management sector is dominated by micro and small-sized enterprises. Although it is possible to anticipate that they may face the same problems as other small firms, information about activities related to the prevention of occupational risks in this sector and how this influences Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) performance is still limited. This study aims to address the issue, contributing to current literature about the protection of employees and the prevention of occupational risks in the waste management sector. The study was conducted at 66 enterprises in Portugal. Data about OHS management practices was collected through different sources, such as questionnaires applied to employers and analysis of documents and records available at the enterprise. A summative index that assesses seven OHS performance aspects was used to characterize the enterprises regarding their OHS performance level. The results showed that micro and small-sized waste management firms display several constraints with regard to OHS management. Several enterprises still do not have organized preventive services. Additionally, OSH policies or objectives, risk assessment, training and accident recording mechanisms were found to be non-existent in several cases. The time dedicated by employers to OHS issues and the support of external advisory services was also low for some firms. A positive and statistically significant association was found between these variables and the enterprises’ OHS performance level. Future research will focus on designing an intervention to improve OHS in the waste management sector as a whole
A study on the socio-economic and demographic significance of fire in the developed world and the developing countries
This comparative study makes an attempt to find any common ground between the findings in different
countries and see if there are any trends defined or if there is no relation between them. Another, maybe, more
important scope is the comparison of the fire situation in the developing and developed countries today.
Although it is extremely difficult to obtain detailed data on different countries and although most of the
countries do not keep statistical data at all, an attempt was made to gather the limited data accessible to the
public, compare the data sets and draw some conclusions from this comparison.
Data was gathered for the UK, USA, China, Russia and New Zealand and limited data was found on Brazil,
Canada, Greece, Singapore and Australia. Comparing tables were drawn and the results are presented belo