The Relational Dynamics of World Bank Survey Missions

This article demonstrates that World Bank internal learning has led to significant changes in how the organization interacts with government officials through survey missions. Reviewing evidence of institutional learning and associated changes in practice and focusing on the relational modes being manifest in technical assistance, the article identifies three main phases of World Bank survey missions: general survey missions (1940s–1960s), country assistance strategies (1990s–2000s), and country partnership frameworks (2010s). Overall, World Bank reviews have repeatedly highlighted the importance of non-hierarchical interactions between Bank staff and country officials. In recent years, practice has begun to catch up with these operational insights.     

An analysis of budget compliance measurement in South African local government best‐practice financial management technical assistance programs, 2001—2003

South Africa's local government financial management best‐practice technical assistance program (known as MFMTAP) was to reform municipal financial management; achieve credible, realistic budgets and prevent financial failure. We consider whether a budget compliance procedure, developed by National Treasury (NT) to measure funding requirements compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) focusing on ‘realistic’ revenue budgeting, improves our understanding of technical assistance effectiveness. We assess a metropolitan municipality's compliance before, during and after advisory assistance. The compliance procedure was robust. Potential exists for wider application to assess best‐practice technical assistance (BPTA) program financial reform effectiveness. The findings from this single, important sample suggest that MFMA funding requirements are not being sustained 4 years after MFMTAP commencement, attributable to either BPTA performance or termination effects. We conclude that MFMA financial performance can be assessed by the procedure, from analysis of the metropolitan municipality performance assisted by a BPTA advisor for approximately 3 years. The analysis raises questions about BPTA program reform sustainability, but we add the caveat that conclusions cannot be drawn from a single sample metropolitan municipality, but a larger sample need be used for further methodology development to confirm its efficacy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

新时期知识产权保护面临的挑战与对策

以《与贸易有关的知识产权协议》（TRIPS）为中心的知识产权国际保护制度建立以来,国际贸易自由化遭遇知识产权保护制度的挑战。为有效防止知识产权保护制度成为新的贸易壁垒,抑制科技创新与发展,进而成为发达国家掠夺发展中国家的工具,我国应在充分研究TRIPS协议的基础上积极回应,使知识产权保护制度切实为我所用,在国际贸易自由化的大趋势下发挥其应有的效用。     

安全技术防范课程教学实践改革研究

当前在公安院校的安全技术防范课程教学实践中,学生学习目标不明确、教师实践能力不足,教材内容滞后、教学设备陈旧,实践教学不足、课程考评机制单一等问题突出.拟从人、物、事三方面入手,围绕端正学生的学习态度、提高教师的业务能力、优化教材内容、促进实验实训管理以及推进实践教学、完善考评机制等方面对课程进行改革.     

技术标准的规范适用初探

技术标准是一种具有特殊逻辑结构的法律形式,在静态上具有法律渊源的性质和效力.形式法渊与实质效力统一的技术标准只解决了技术标准规范的效力基础问题,是应然层面的分析.法治是一种多元开放的社会形态,法治背景下的规则多样化为技术标准的形态分析提供了理论基础,技术标准的适用亦应在法治框架内进行.要发挥技术标准的效力,解决实然上的效力问题,仍需在适用上考虑其自身特点与范式.     

动车车底和高铁线路损坏案件的现场勘查和技术鉴定

动车车底和高铁线路损坏案件的特点有发现时间与发生时间相隔长、勘查难度大、痕迹容易形成和异物容易发现等。动车车底痕迹有单条状擦划痕、多条状擦划痕、片状不规则裂痕等类型,线路损坏痕迹有轨道电线、电缆被砸坏,应答器等设备损坏和水泥枕、扣件等被损坏等类型。此类案件的勘查分两个部分：一是宏观勘查。在掌握受损动车的运营情况、发生发现经过等基本情况后,要对整列动车的前后机车、所有车厢进行全面的检查,确定哪些机车、车厢有破损、破损部位等情况,再把破损部位全面纳入微观勘查范围。二是微观勘查。对所有受损部位进行全面细致的勘查,从动车的一侧向另一侧详细记录受损的方向、位置、形态、大小,再进行全面的分析判断。     

Editor's note

This study applies Elisabeth Noelle‐Neumann's spiral of silence theory to the controversial issue of whether children with AIDS should be allowed to attend public school. The study tests the theory's hypotheses in light of two content analyses of the media's treatment of the issue. The findings offer tentative and qualified support for Noelle‐Neumann's theoretical propositions about the relationship between individuals' perceptions of the issue and the media's tenor of the issue; particularly that of television. The findings suggest the need to address the role of other agents of influence, including reference groups, and to use time‐based data to unravel the causal order of the relationships.     

商务英语复合型人才的培养模式研究——以理工院校为视域

理工院校商务英语专业在复合型人才的培养条件方面具有自己的优势。理工科院校学科门类齐全,与市场需求密切相关,特别是经济学、金融学、对外贸易等学科有着深厚的教学经验和较好的硬件设施。加之很多英语专业学生在高中阶段即是理科生,具有很好的理工科知识基础。理工院校只有充分利用自身的优势,并根据社会发展不断探索完善,才能培养出更多优秀的商务英语专业复合型人才。     

Were Bosnian policy research organisations more effective in 2006 than in 2003? Did technical assistance play a role?

In 2003 the policy development process in Bosnia and Herzegovina was characterised by international community (IC) dominance. The IC provided the vast majority of the analysis of problems facing the country and drafted many of the laws. This article documents developments from fall 2003 to fall 2006 in the use of evidence and analysis in the policy development process and the role of local policy research organisations (PROs—often called think tanks) in it. The likely relation between these changes and the activities of a PRO mentoring project that operated over the same period is also assessed. Evidence comes as a series of interviews in both years with government officials and members of parliament, on the one hand, and leaders of PROs and advocacy NGOs on the other. The broad picture that emerges from the above review is of a substantial positive development in the policy development process in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the period. Factual evidence and analysis are playing a much greater role, and PROs have been a major provider of this information. The evidence indicates that PROs have been successful in convincing the policy community that they are purveyors of objective, disinterested advice and analysis. The improvements occurred in a conducive environment that steadily placed greater responsibility for policy formation on Bosnian officials. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“宁夏红“持续竞争优势对策论

"宁夏红"已以自己独特的品牌声誉、顾客基数、人力资源和专利技术等稀有资源和能力获得了竞争优势.而要继续保持这一优势,还必须在此基础上以额外的方式和力量建立限制竞争优势被模仿或被削弱的经济力量即隔绝机制.