Integrating learning into organisational capacity development of Cambodian NGOs

A holistic learning approach to organisational capacity building with Cambodian NGOs produced impressive results in some organisations and important learning about blocks to change in others. The approach clearly demonstrates that moving beyond traditional training and organisational development interventions and into processes that promote learning and its integration into everyday work practices has positive and lasting impacts. Organisations willing to engage with the learning approach found that both individuals and the whole organisation were able to function more effectively, and that this contributed to sustainability and resilience. The approach also produced important lessons about organisational readiness to embrace learning and change.

Intégrer l'apprentissage dans le développement des capacités organisationnelles des ONG cambodgiennes

Une approche holistique (globale) de l'apprentissage en matière de développement des capacités organisationnelles avec des ONG cambodgiennes a produit des résultats impressionnants dans certaines organisations et donné lieu à d'importantes leçons sur les entraves aux changements dans d'autres. Cette approche démontre clairement que le fait d'aller au-delà des interventions traditionnelles de formation et de développement organisationnel pour entreprendre des processus qui promeuvent l'apprentissage et son intégration dans les pratiques de travail quotidiennes a des impacts positifs et durables. Les organisations disposées à adopter l'approche d'apprentissage ont constaté que tant les individus que l'organisation dans son ensemble étaient en mesure de fonctionner plus efficacement et que cela contribuait à la durabilité et à la résilience. Cette approche a aussi produit des enseignements importants sur la bonne disposition des organisations à embrasser l'apprentissage et les changements.

Integrando aprendizado no desenvolvimento da capacidade organizacional de ONGs cambojanas

Uma abordagem de aprendizado holística para a capacitação organizacional com ONGs cambojanas produziu resultados surpreendentes em algumas organizações e um importante aprendizado sobre obstáculos a serem superados em outras. A abordagem demonstra claramente que ir além dos tradicionais treinamentos e intervenções para o desenvolvimento organizacional e incorporar processos que promovam o aprendizado e sua integração em práticas de trabalho diárias promovem impactos positivos e duradouros. Organizações que desejavam engajar-se com a abordagem de aprendizado constataram que tanto os indivíduos quanto a organização como um todo eram capazes de atuar mais efetivamente e que isto contribuía para a sustentabilidade e resiliência. A abordagem também extraiu lições importantes sobre a preparação organizacional para incorporar aprendizado e mudança.

Incorporar nuevos aprendizajes al desarrollo de capacidades organizacionales en ONG de Camboya

En Camboya se aplicó un método de aprendizaje integral para la construcción de capacidades institucionales en ONG que produjo importantes resultados en algunas organizaciones y proporcionó datos relevantes sobre los obstáculos que impiden los avances en otras. Este método muestra con claridad que si se va más allá de las acciones habituales de capacitación y de desarrollo institucional y se abordan procesos que promuevan el aprendizaje integrándolos en el trabajo cotidiano, se pueden obtener resultados positivos y duraderos. Las organizaciones que se mostraron dispuestas a incorporar este método de aprendizaje consiguieron mejores resultados en el trabajo tanto de los individuos como de la organización y aumentó su sustentabilidad y flexibilidad. El método también generó importantes datos sobre la predisposición de las organizaciones a incorporar el aprendizaje y el cambio.     

The Crisis of Federalism and Electoral Strategies in Iraq

After uprooting Saddam Hussein from power, establishing democracy in Iraq has been declared among the most important objectives of the U.S.-led Coalition. However, the Coalition has encountered complex ethnic and religious relations and resentment of foreign intervention in Iraq. These reactions reflect decades, even centuries, of divisive and antagonistic policies whose impacts continue to complicate and threaten coexistence and civil peace. The immediate challenge of achieving stability and peace in Iraq, therefore, rests in the ability to foster a genuinely indigenous institutional political structure that can accommodate the different ethnic and sectarian aspirations. This article highlights the major potential shortcomings of the federal model established by the "Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for The Transitional Period." It also examines the shortcomings of the List Proportional Representation system as presented by the United Nations for Iraq's transition, and alternatively proposes national electoral reform strategies, with the implementation of an Alternative Vote system with Minority Provision in the election to the National Assembly, as a means to strengthen Iraq's national unity.     

Invest,Hold Up,or Accept?China in Multilateral Governance

China has played an inconsistent role in multilateral governance, sometimes contributing to the creation and maintenance of international regimes, sometimes free riding or even threatening to undermine multilateral regimes to improve its position. We show that the strategic context of a particular issue of international concern affects China's approach to multilateralism and argue that our approach adds additional leverage to existing theories that rely on assumptions about its inherent disposition or socialization processes. An emerging global power will be willing to invest more in supporting a regime when its outside options are relatively poor. When its outside options are good, it will free ride on the efforts of more established states if it is not a necessary player in maintaining regimes, and if it is seen as indispensable it will threaten to hold up regime support as a way to win concessions. We show that these two factors, outside options and indispensability, can help explain changes in China's strategy with respect to the issue of North Korea's nuclear program and the regulation of international finance.     

Adult attachment as a risk factor for intimate partner violence: the "mispairing" of partners' attachment styles

This study examined the relationship between intimate partner violence and adult attachment in a sample of 70 couples. The attachment style of each partner and the interaction of the partners' attachment styles were examined as predictors of intimate partner violence. Additional analyses were conducted to examine violence reciprocity and to explore differences in the relationship between attachment and violence using continuous and dichotomous violence measures. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated the "mispairing" of an avoidant male partner with an anxious female partner was associated with both male and female violence. When controlling for partner violence, the relationship between attachment and violence was significant for males only. In addition, analyses using a dichotomized violence variable produced different results from analyses using a continuous violence measure. Clinical implications include focusing on the discrepancy between partners' needs for intimacy and distance within the couple as a strategy for treating intimate partner violence.     

Recent Developments

International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique -     

Identifying Critical Points of Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms from Childhood to Young Adulthood

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Depression is a common mental illness and research has focused on late childhood and adolescence in an attempt to prevent or reduce later psychopathology and/or...     

Preliminary investigations into tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium III as a chemiluminescent reagent for the detection of 3,6-diacetylmorphine (heroin) on surfaces

The use of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium (III) as a chemiluminescent spray reagent spot-test for heroin is discussed. Two forms of the reagent are investigated an aqueous and an anhydrous where both were found to give vastly different results. The aqueous reagent giving slow, low intensity chemiluminescence whilst the anhydrous reagent gave a fast, bright response in the presence of 3,6-diacetylmorphine. The anhydrous reagent is less sensitive the slow, intensity response is characteristic of only two opiates tested 3,6-diacetylmorphine and 3-monoacetylmorphine.