Transparency Policies in Italy： The Case of Venice Municipality

Transparency is a complex phenomenon characterised by aspects that can be linked and interpreted differently. In particular transparency is associated with information and participation. In order to better understand how to manage transparency in a municipality, the paper analyses the case of Venice that adopted a strong policy to increase citizen participation through information and communications technology （ICT）. Starting with the idea that transparency is achieved only when perception of transparency between management and citizens （users） is aligned, the author has verified this alignment administering the same questionnaire separately to managers/officers and citizens. The author also analyses the alignment of perception for the different elements （motivation, issues, tools and relation） that administration has to manage to achieve transparency. The results show that for managing administration＇s transparency it is necessary to manage the ＂transparency triangle＂, i.e., addressing the information to a specific necessity of access to services or to citizen participation, with a different mix of high relational tools.     

Democratic Transition and Economic Transition： The Case of Tunisia

This paper develops the issue of economic transition linked to a democratic transition that a developing country, Tunisia, is living following the revolution of 2011. Tunisia has made a profound change, it is currently developing new institutions, however, it is not an annuitant country, its activities and economic performances depend on political stability and the choice of the implemented politico-economic system. The question is whether the operating political forces will affect the direction of structural changes, thus toward a transition of breakage or the direction of adaptive transition. Neo-liberalism, practiced for 30 years, has developed an entrepreneurship structured as small and medium enterprises, whose performances are variable according to the sector and the state role. With the revolution, the country entered in a phase of political, social, and economic instability. A new constitution is passed, the political system installs the multiparty system, the country has a tradition of openness to the rest of the world, the challenges are numerous and the question of the role of the state in the economic sphere is very acute. The analysis is based on the observation of facts and the review and analysis of data relating to politics and economy, observed in the period before the revolution and after the revolution.     

Infant and child mortality in Sudan： Case of central region

This paper uses households＇ data from central region of Sudan to examine factors that affect infant and child mortality. The education of mother and father, community variables and household income per adult are used. For this purpose, a household survey was conducted to collect data on the variables of interest from a random sample withdrawn from the study population. 600 questionnaires were distributed to households in one province of the region （out of five） where there are seven localities. The data has been analyzed using different statistical and econometric methods, including ordinary least squares method. The ordinary least squares found that child mortality is inversely associated with household income per adult, community variables and parental education. The effect of mother＇s education is more significant than father＇s education, mother＇s age is also found to be the most important factor that influences child mortality.     

Social Policy and Social Control： Case of San Joso del Rincon in the State of Mexico

This study sets out to analyze and evaluate the implementation of a system for the regulation and control of social policies （＂Social Comptrollership＂） involving civil society so as to reinforce the mechanisms for ensuring transparency and responsibility in the government＇s operation of social programs and the execution of public works Here is presented the analysis of the Federal Rural Housing Program （in Spanish： ＂Programa de Vivienda RuraF＇） that is aimed at providing accommodation to families in situations of severe poverty living in communities described as suffering from ＂high or very high levels of marginalization＂. The main conclusion of this research, which is based on a series of interviews with aid recipients, the officials and the social organizations involved, is that the regulatory aspects of this system for controlling social policies are not effective, since they lack mechanisms for enforcing the sanctions set down for participants who do not respect the agreements they have entered into.     

Organized independent labor movement in Taiwan： The case of the CTWU

Labor was a significant factor in Taiwanese politics. In history, some of the most important unions in Taiwan were built around a core of members resolutely loyal to a political ideology. However, with time many tenets of labor and political history have undergone a change. The alliances between trade unions broke the links with their respective political parties or groups. The centralized and traditional union structures fell short of workers＇ expectation amid the mounting pressures of political democratization in Taiwan, thereby giving way to ＂independent＂ union bodies. This paper examines the experiences of＂independent＂ trade unions in Taiwan in a historical context and attempts to trace the conditions that are instrumental in the growth of such unions. The case of one ＂independent＂ union in Taiwan--the Chunghwa Telecom Workers＇ Union （CTWU） depicts the ways and means by which independent rank-and-file led unions have proven their collective strength time and again. The case analysis in the present paper suggests that the continuing economic liberalization in Taiwan may bring about the proliferation of ＂independent＂ unions with far greater collective voice and less monopoly effects than the current situation.