Unleashing the power of consultations and partnerships through Aboriginal participation

What are the extent to which and the means by which Canada＇s Aboriginals are involved in consultation and more importantly, partnerships with other political actors to achieve indigenous-based change？ This paper examines this question in the larger framework of new public management （NPM） theory. NPM postulates that consultation involving public sector engagement with citizens （community engagement/ participation） will improve the quality of decisions regarding the content and delivery of policies and programs. The degree to which the public is empowered to engage with the public sector can be measured along a public participation spectrum, developed by the International Association for Public Participation （IAP2）, which measures varying degrees of public participation resulting in different forms of consultations and/or partnerships （inform, consult, involve, collaborate and empower）. This paper will examine the existing literature on public consultation and public participation which will help identify the level of Aboriginal involvement in the policy process. More specifically, this paper will examine the Government of Alberta＇s 2004 ＂Grades 10-12 Social Studies Consultation＂ and the Government of Canada＇s 2008 ＂Environment Canada＇s Aboriginal Consultations on Wastewater＂, each of which involved government initiatives to carry out consultation with various Aboriginal actors. Ultimately, this paper argues that the different levels of governments in Canada have only employed the first two stages of the public participation spectrum （＂inform＂ and ＂consult＂） and therefore, have not empowered First Nations communities to become meaningful partners in the policy-making process and the democratic process at large.     

Analysis of the Spectre of Urban Density From the Perspective of Compactness of Forms A Response to a New Urban Vulnerability

The concepts of ＂density＂ and ＂urban morphology＂ are today at the centre of debates on architecture and urban planning. The concept of＂density＂ provides a solution to the issue of urban sprawl and, consequently, offers a way of rethinking sustainable urban and rural development. The densification of urban centres makes it possible to reduce a vulnerability related to the excessive use of suburban areas. However, densification is not a ＂turnkey＂ solution. Numerous criteria relating to its use are poorly understood. As numerous contemporary experiences have demonstrated, urban densification exposes space systems to new, unknown forms of vulnerability. First, the concept of ＂vulnerability＂ will be defined, specifically that of urban vulnerability, as well as related concepts, such as those of risk, hazard, and challenges. Secondly, forms of vulnerability inherent in the over-densification paradigm are pinpointed： This will involve determining the specific hazards, challenges, and risks of this space system. Thirdly, the authors will demonstrate how the concept of ＂compactness＂ makes it possible to review at the different urban levels the densification processes of territories and urban areas. Finally, a tool for the optimisation of compact urban morphologies for use in countering the related hazards and risks will be proposed.     

The new U.S.-China rapprochement： A view from Africa

The U.S. and China recently held a ＂dialogue＂ at the behest of policy makers in Washington for the mutual benefit of their governments and people and ostensibly the rest of humanity as well. Coming at a time of increasing quest for natural resources by many countries including China and Chinese obviously bourgeoning influence in Africa, that Washington decided to engage Beijing certainly, not only betrays U.S. apprehension over the emergence of a strong competitor for Africa＇s resources but also an attempt to whittle down China＇s growing international stature especially on the African continent. While the Chinese will not likely succumb to the U.S., this new found rapprochement between the two will certainly intensify the resource scramble in Africa. Whether the ＂severe＂ interest for African resources will benefit the continent or not depends on how African countries are able to manage the ensuing resource race between the U.S. and China.     

The Problems With Modem Japanese and Chinese Game Seclusion From the Outside World and In-Depth Analysis of the Countermeasures

In ancient times, classic board games developed and dispersed throughout the entire world. However, in recent years, the game industry is developing fast in many countries. Japanese games and Chinese games all have similar opportunities and problems in the modem context. The most serious problem both facing is ＂sakoku＂ （A Japanese and Chinese word ＂~fl~＇）, seclusion from the outside world. Although the effects ofsakoku are very far-reaching, this paper examines the effects of seclusion from the outside world in the context of game development. The Chinese game industry is in the development period. If the sakoku problem is not solved, the Japanese game industry will decline and fall behind that of the West. For their part, Chinese developers who fail to address gamers beyond their borders stand to lose the best chance to step into the successful development of the gaming future.     

An engine of growth or a cog in the wheel： Reality and perceptions of family enterprises in China

Since the economic reforms began in the end of the 1970s, family enterprises have emerged and thrived in the People＇s Republic of China, and have contributed significantly to China＇s phenomenal growth in the last few decades. Yet, little recognition, scholarly or otherwise, was given to family enterprises in China. The author argues that such a lack of recognition of family enterprises in China has to do with various negative perceptions of family firms and entrepreneurs. Among such perceptions is the view that family enterprises are ＂backward＂ and ＂unscientific＂, and as such they need to be modernized or they will disappear. This article calls for more rigorous and ethnographic research of family businesses in China, because such research will not only afford much needed attentions to the issues unique to family businesses, but also provide a comparative case to the study of Confucian capitalism, which is believed to be an alternative to western capitalism.     

Main operational issues of medium term budget plan： The case of Albanian Ministry of Defence

This article is mainly concerned with some technical issues of preparing the medium term budget plan （MTBP） in Republic of Albania. This is a period of three years into the future. A period of three years is the right period for some realistic planning. Planning for one year only is not realistic planning, because decisions taken in one year will have consequences for later years. In Albania, there are a number of policy development processes, for example those related to the government programme, the sector and national strategy process and European integration process. The medium term budget programme seeks to complement other policy processes by drawing on their results and linking the associated policy objectives explicitly to expenditure programmes in a formal management process. Albanian Government is adopting an international sample of composing a good MTBP, so we found a very interesting research on this topic. The article is composed of three lines： The first part, named as ＂introduction＂, treats the work done by Albanian Government in preparing MTBP document; second part deals with main components of MTBP document prepared by an Albanian Ministry （14 in total）; while the third part refers to an MTBP for a programme taken as an example at the Albanian Ministry of Defence.     

Urban sustainability and the emergence of new （old） concepts： Analysis of the sustainable communities concept through the component of transportation

In this paper, I propose to analyze the sustainable communities concept through the perspective of transportation and connectivity. Sustainable communities concept gives more importance to the social dimension that is the centre of the concern, and spatially to the neighbourhood and the complex structure of interactions, activities, fluxes that characterize the urban environment. To understand the concept, I will focus on the principles that underline this concept including the seven components that were defined by Egan （2004）. There will be an approach through the evolution of transportation in cities, a contextualization of the present problems associated with this topic, the explanation of the differences between sustainable transportation and ＂common＂ transportation. The relation between land use patterns and transportation will also be addressed on how sustainable transportation can promote the sense of community in a place. In the final remarks, there will be some proposed measures associated with the concept of sustainable communities.     

The role of educational strategies in human development： An example of using key word method in teaching Arabic as a second language in Malaysia

This paper is an attempt to discover and recognize the important role of educational strategies in developing human capital in which they become positive agents of human society, such as academic achievement, intellectual abilities, interpersonal skills and also self-esteem. These will be measured using a survey instrument that classifies learning performance via test scores, to test the hypothesis that learning a language will lead to comparable positive self-development, but indirected language learning will affect academic achievement negatively. Therefore, key word methods in learning Arabic language will be used as directed Arabic language learning to measure the significant correlation to both academic and non-academic development of the learners in which the effectiveness of mnemonic strategy in vocabulary memorization is associated with the self-consciousness and personal psyches of the learners. Consequently, they appreciate the knowledge and values they gained from their learning activities, which help them to perform better than students who did not use this type of learning strategy in learning Arabic language. Teachers, on the other hand, would also able to observe the important impact of Arabic language learning on learners＇ academic performance and personality development. Therefore, education is simply a process of acquiring a new knowledge in creating an environment in which students and teachers learn something for themselves.     

On social capital theory and the Chinese enterprise owner

Chinese is called a ＂human relations first＂ society, naturally, it combines field and social capital theory to study entrepreneur groups. The native research of social capital is advocated earlier in Taiwan. Also, the continent researches have developed on depth and extent. In the future, the social capital will go to analyze more secondary social capital fundament from three perspectives： relational dimension, structural dimension, cognitive dimension.     

Model for Management of Public Funds Transfers in SICONV

This article consolidates the efforts of the Information Systems Research Group for the construction of a reference model for the management of agreements celebrated based on the Brazilian federal government＇s voluntary funds transfers. It presents the Reference Model for covenants＇ processes, which is the product of the third phase of this research project. This model will be used as reference in the fourth phase of this project, when it will be applied to a sample of covenants. Experience gained in this step will allow the consolidation of the Reference Model. An important contribution of this work is to facilitate the understanding of proposals, so processes analyzed can be improved and redesigned. Processes information, from organization to details of each activity, can then be disseminated to all interested parties. Results here presented are not final. They will serve as input to the next stage of the project, which is the Assessment of the Reference Model by selected Stadual and municipal governments. Each entity will contribute with its own perspective to improving the idealized model.     

The European Union Faced With the Challenges of Food Safety： Solutions Proposed in the Framework of the Common Agricultural Policy （CAP） and Strategies of the Actors Concerned

Within the framework of Common Agricultural Policy （CAP）, how has the European Union （EU） responded to new challenges emerging at the end of the last century？ The overall picture shows that the process of improving health conditions includes various players. The overall objectives of the CAP are specified in Article 39 of the Treaty of Rome： to increase agricultural productivity and ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural community. The word ＂security＂ here refers to the stability of supply. The first major reform came in 1992, linked to the Uruguay Round Cycle of initial responses to consumes expectations regarding food safety and the prevention of health risks. The centrepiece of EU food policy, European Food Safety Authority （EFSA） is consumed with all maters effecting food safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, and plant health. The controversy around the need for reforms and their implementation has featured prominently in the public debate. The paper analyzes these debates by drawing on scientific studies carried out by multidisciplinary laboratories.     

Islamic Identity,Nationality and Republicanism in the Process of Islamic Awakening

This paper is going to identify and discuss necessary theoretical principles for reasoning current and future situation of subjects related to Arabic Islamic thoughts. This paper tries to consider typology of vocal groups at Islamic movements involved in the process of Islamic awakening. In this direction, firstly different research approaches will be considered and the main purpose is that how these researches observe the origin of formation of these groups and what is their emphasis in this regard. The key points of their reasoning will be explained and then the explanation, representation and re-definition of these groups are paid attention to. The main idea is that among all analyses and reasoning and view points, the key point is the importance of viewpoint of Islamism in these movements and any analysis will be unreliable reading without reading to this variable,     

A study of social exclusion： Vietnamese and mainland Chinese brides in Taiwan

This paper interviews Vietnamese and mainland Chinese brides in Taiwan to explore their experiences of social exclusion. It finds that both Vietnamese and mainland Chinese brides more or less experience social exclusion in one of the political, social relation and welfare dimensions. The dimension of social exclusion that neither of the groups has experienced is spatial exclusion. In comparison, the Vietnamese brides have been more afflicted by economic and cultural exclusion and use more government services. The government service item that has been used most frequently is ＂eugenic hygiene＂, and ＂life adaptation counseling＂ ranks the second. As to other government service items--＂upgrading of education and culture＂, ＂personal safety protection＂ and ＂guarantee of employment rights＂, Vietnamese brides with strong support from their husband＇s family are the main group who use them. In the future, while planning supportive foreign brides＇ policies, the government can focus more on combining the services with foreign brides＇ family and the communities they live in. Then, it can advocate more effectively usages of services and the goal of combating social exclusion.     

Importance of Interdisciplinary Spatial Planning of National Parks＂ Case Study of Croatia

With the attempt to ＂reconcile＂ protection and tourism activities, spatial planning has a great importance in sustainable planning and management of Nature Protected Areas （NPAs）. The spatial dimension of sustainability involves numerous processes and links among different purposes of lands, ecosystems, and biotopes at different levels through time, therefore, it is necessary to include all sciences and professions, whose common goal is the sustainability of the area, in the spatial planning process. This paper argues that there is a critical need for an interdisciplinary approach in spatial planning, which could improve the quality of planning of national parks and all other sensitive nature areas. Such approach should strive to the sustainability of protected nature destinations with the integration of knowledge. In Croatia, national park planning is still mostly done without comprehensive and integrated involvement of a wide range of science and profession, which ultimately significantly reduces the quality ＆the plans, as well as may have potentially negative effects on the future development.     

China＇s Energy Efficient Appliance Adoption Dilemma： Problems,Possibilities, and Solutions

With the world＇s largest population and growing concerns that increasing energy consumption threatens the environment, the economy, and social stability, the Chinese Government has identified improving the physical environment as a priority. One way consumers can assist in this effort and save money is to invest in energy efficient appliances. Despite efforts to encourage consumers to purchase energy efficient appliances, consumer adoption of these money and energy saving devices is quite low. The authors contend that energy efficient appliances are less popular in China than in the West due to poor marketing of the cost savings of these devices coupled with lower levels of purchases with credit versus cash. A survey given to Chinese consumers seeks to answer these queries and provides evidence of ways to improve the adoption of energy efficient appliances. This benefits manufacturers （who make money selling more expensive items）, consumers （who save money over the life of the appliance since the cost of ownership is not just the cost of purchasing the item but also includes the cost of using it）, the Chinese Government （which is currently engaged in a campaign to lower the amount of energy used）, and the world （which benefits from a cleaner environment）.     

Comprehensive security： Challenge for China in the age of globalization

Traditionally, security is understood as merely ＂national defense＂. During an on-going process of globalization, economic, political and cultural interdependence between individuals, nations and regions have changed the traditional ideas of national security to broader dimensions. The notion of incorporating economic security, environmental security and human security, with national security into a single whole, formulate the idea of comprehensive security （CS）. This paper tries to explore the origin, components, and significance of comprehensive security. In case studies, the rise of China in the twenty-first century is not an assumption any more, but a reality already. In this research, the author focuses on China, a country which not only experiences comprehensive development, but also faces comprehensive security challenges in the age of globalization. The author discusses China＇s security challenge from a comprehensive perspective and argues that understanding them and finding the solution will not only benefit China itself, but also benefit other nations as a whole in the age of globalization.     

Probing Into Chinese Hegemony and the Indian Challenge in the Southeast Asian Landscape

China is on the rise in Southeast Asia with its giant economy, modern military, and influential diplomacy potentially establishing a potential Chinese hegemony in the region. If such growth is not challenged by another regional power, the balance of peaceful stability will be tilted and economic development hampered. Thus, another rising power, India must face the challenges that a powerful China brings to the table. With its developing economy well-equipped armed forces and subtle diplomacy, it has the tools and capability to balance the distribution of power in Southeast Asia. This study analyzes and dissects the influence of both India and China in Southeast Asia and its impact on the future of the region. It focuses on the tangibles and intangibles that India needs to hurdle and overcome to provide China with a worthy challenger. It also brings into perspective the role of ASEAN （Association of Southeast Asian Nations） as a catalyst in India-China relations. As a bloc, ASEAN has the potential to be a vibrant economy and important personality in the region. How ASEAN will be able to cope with a rising China and a fast-developing India will also be addressed in the study. Finally, how the development and stability of the region can be maintained in spite of the brewing rivalry between China and India is also an important aspect of this study.     

Business Angel and risk capital： The impact on innovation

The aim of the analysis is to understand if the risk capital carried by Business Angels （B.A.） could affect firms with high innovation propensity in creating more innovations than receiving risk capital from other financial operators. Innovation is a critical factor for the competitiveness of national system especially when the economy of the latter has come to maturity. For realizing ＂the successful exploitation of ideas, into new products, processes, services or business practices, and the critical process for achieving two complementary business goals of performance and growth, which in turn will help to close the productivity gap＂ （DTI＇s Innovation Report, 2003, p. 8）, firms have to understand which are the right competences to increase. In this context, the authors have developed a framework that measures the propensity to innovate in the firms. The model considers the firm＇s competences （grouped into four macro areas as management, organization, ITC and marketing） to improve the creation, development and diffusion of the innovation. The work is structured as an empirical analysis as follows： （1） The authors analyzed a sample of 12 business plans （choices for high level of innovation in their business） that received risk capital from B.A. and other financial operators; （2） For each firm, their innovation propensity is measured through the author＇s model during their start-up period （the data analyzed are business plan＇s data）; （3） After a period of time （3 years）, the authors checked if the firms with high innovation propensity have created real innovation and if a correlation exists between risk capital origin （from Business Angels or not） and innovation propensity. The conclusion of the work is the finns with B.A.＇s risk capital have a high innovation propensity and create after a medium term period more innovation compared with the others.     

Negotiated agreements in the Dutch context and its inspirations for Chinese environmental management

Covenants have become a widely used policy instrument in European countries. Covenants are negotiated agreements between government and industry in which industry obliges to take ＇voluntary＇ action to help realizing policy objectives. This paper describes and analyses the evolution and development of the use of such covenant model in European environmental policy practice. After an extensive evaluation of the effect of the covenants in the European context, the paper conducts a comparable study of the Chinese environmental policy context with that in European countries, expose that Chinese environmental policy and environmental practice is still in the first stage of Europe environmental policy and practice evolution. As a conclusion, the paper explores the possible application of covenants as a ＂third strategy＂ in Chinese environmental policy.     

The Factory： Organizational Culture,Organizational Structure,in the Small to Medium Size 21st Century Chinese Factory

China is the ＂factory to the world＂, but little is known outside of China about the small to medium size （SMS） Chinese factory. This ignorance can cause considerable misunderstanding, particularly among Western buyers of goods made in China. The Chinese factory originated in the 18th century and changed as China itself has changed. Still, the Chinese factory is different from factories that emerged in the 18th century Europe and the 19th century America, during their respective ＂industrial revolution＂ periods. This paper is a qualitative analysis of the SMS Chinese factory more than a decade into the 21st century, across industries, across regions, based on the author＇s participant observation in the course of 14 research trips to China lasting a total of two years across a 10-year time period. China has the most efficient SMS factories in the world, although many are working significantly below capacity. New Chinese factories are state-of-the-art, clean, healthful, safe, and able to deliver orders substantially on targeted schedule. Quality Control （QC） can be erratic and passed on to the buyer. On balance, strengths far exceed weaknesses, and opportunities outweigh threats, even as Taiwanese investments begin to be withdrawn from mainland China.