A dynamic performance management approach to support local strategic planning

In spite of efforts devoted in the last decades to local strategic planning, such field of research and practice has been frequently characterized by a lack of implementation. We argue here that this phenomenon is due to the limitations of the static and linear approach to local strategic planning in fostering the development of common shared view among policy makers on the relevant system's structure and behavior. By means of a case-study, we illustrate how an approach based on system dynamics modeling applied to Performance Management can be useful to overcome such weaknesses. The proposed approach enhances a better understanding of the causes and effects related to adopted policies, undertaken actions and targeted results. This helps key-players in an area to overcome possible barriers to collaboration, and therefore to adopt a combined "institutional and inter-institutional" perspective of performance

Using a Dynamic Performance Management approach to reinforce the benefits of territorial strategic planning

The purpose of this paper is to present how system dynamics (SD) can be used to enrich performance management in local government and to foster a common shared view of the relevant system’s structure and behavior among stakeholders for territorial strategic planning. We begin by framing how dynamic complexity through SD modeling can support consensus building among different stakeholders within a territory, which moves beyond the traditional view of strategic planning within the context of a single jurisdiction. A Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) approach, as shown by our case-study, may help such players to overcome possible barriers to collaboration because of its support to better detect how pursuing a sustainable development in the territory’s performance impacts on the sustainability of each single institution belonging to the territory. This implies that territorial public agencies, e.g. municipalities, may understand and communicate to their stakeholders that long term performance cannot be only assessed in financial terms or by referring to output measures only, but also in relation to the outcomes that public services will be able to generate as value transferred to the territory. Likewise, the enterprises operating in a given territory should be enabled to detect how their own performance can be sustainable in the long run if they will be able to generate not only financial capital, but also social capital to the benefit of the other players belonging to the territory. Therefore, a key to implement a DPM approach for each of the players is to combine an institutional (single-player) with an inter-institutional (i.e. multi-players or territory) perspective with a view to enhancing performance and pursuing sustainable development. An inter-institutional perspective frames the territory (rather than a single institution) as the relevant system where to comprise and manage the cause and effect relationships between performance factors and strategic resources

Phytosociological research on temporary ponds in Apulia (southern Italy)

The ephemeral hygrophilous vegetation occurring in the temporary ponds of Apulia (southern Italy) weres studied following the phytosociological approach. On the base of 153 phytosociological relevés carried out during the period 2015-2018, 19 associations were identified, of which 16 described for the first time. All the associations belong to the Isoeto-Nanojuncetea class. The surveyed associations can be arranged in two orders, such as Isoetetalia, including those with a winter-spring cycle and Nanocyperetalia, regarding those with a summertime cycle. The identified association has been examined in detail, and for each one, we provided a phytosociological table. The communities belonging to the Isoetetalia are 17 and arranged in four alliances (Isoetion, Preslion cervinae, Cicendio filiformis-Solenopsion laurentiae, Agrostion salmanticae); instead, those ones of Nanocyperetalia are two both included in the Verbenion supinae. In order to highlight the relationships among the associations, all the relevés used for this investigation are processed. Overall, this analysis confirms the autonomy of the associations, grouping them according to the syntaxonomic arrangement proposed by the authors. Taxonomic investigations on the flora occurring in these habitats allowed the detection of two new subspecies of Solenopsis laurentia, both with a different autoecology

Validation of associations for the temporary ponds of the class Isoeto-Nanojuncetea in Puglia (southern Italy)

This paper presents the validation of 16 new associations, described in a previous contribution, for the temporary ponds of the class Isoeto-Nanojuncetea in Apulia (southern Italy)

Taxonomic and ecological remarks on Solenopsis bivonae species complex (Campanulaceae)

The populations usually attributed to Solenopsis bivonae (Tineo) M.B.Crespo, Serra & A.Juan are investigated from a taxonomical and morphological viewpoint. Within this species complex, four new subspecies occurring in Sicily and Calabria are recognized, such as subsp. bivonae, subsp. madoniarum, subsp. peloritana and subsp. brutia. In addition, a new species from Cyprus described as S. meikleana and S. bacchettae from Sardinia must be included in this group. The synonymy, typification, description, seed testa morphology, chorology, ecology, illustrations, conservation status, and examined specimens for each taxon are provided. Besides, the analytical keys, distribution maps, and phytosociological arrangement regarding these taxa are given too

L’immigrazione nella trasformazione dei contesti urbani: il caso siciliano, l’esigenza del recupero culturale ed il rifiuto della marginalizzazione

The issue of the immigration leads to reorganize the whole social architecture of the societies in which it occurs. Considering the urban environment as a microcosm which has a great deal of influence on global dynamics, it is right to think about the living conditions of urban citizens who live in the multicultural present societies, often suffering marginalization. As the last researches claim, the local government system is the one that could help to deal with the immigration matter in the best way and this also needs to be urgently addressed, as the “Immigration in Sicily” case study could show

Cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, vestibular areflexia syndrome due to RFC1 repeat expansion.

Ataxia, causing imbalance, dizziness and falls, is a leading cause of neurological disability. We have recently identified a biallelic intronic AAGGG repeat expansion in replication factor complex subunit 1 (RFC1) as the cause of cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) and a major cause of late onset ataxia. Here we describe the full spectrum of the disease phenotype in our first 100 genetically confirmed carriers of biallelic repeat expansions in RFC1 and identify the sensory neuropathy as a common feature in all cases to date. All patients were Caucasian and half were sporadic. Patients typically reported progressive unsteadiness starting in the sixth decade. A dry spasmodic cough was also frequently associated and often preceded by decades the onset of walking difficulty. Sensory symptoms, oscillopsia, dysautonomia and dysarthria were also variably associated. The disease seems to follow a pattern of spatial progression from the early involvement of sensory neurons, to the later appearance of vestibular and cerebellar dysfunction. Half of the patients needed walking aids after 10 years of disease duration and a quarter were wheelchair dependent after 15 years. Overall, two-thirds of cases had full CANVAS. Sensory neuropathy was the only manifestation in 15 patients. Sixteen patients additionally showed cerebellar involvement, and six showed vestibular involvement. The disease is very likely to be underdiagnosed. Repeat expansion in RFC1 should be considered in all cases of sensory ataxic neuropathy, particularly, but not only, if cerebellar dysfunction, vestibular involvement and cough coexist

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 8

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Ajuga, Chamaemelum, Clematis, Convolvulus, Cytisus, Deschampsia, Eleocharis, Epipactis, Euphorbia, Groenlandia, Hedera, Hieracium, Hydrocharis, Jacobaea, Juncus, Klasea, Lagurus, Leersia, Linum, Nerium, Onopordum, Persicaria, Phlomis, Polypogon, Potamogeton, Securigera, Sedum, Soleirolia, Stachys, Umbilicus, Valerianella, and Vinca. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 11

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1