Achilles' heels of governance: Critical capacity deficits and their role in governance failures

This article assesses the usefulness of conceptions of policy capacity for understanding policy and governance outcomes. In order to shed light on this issue, it revisits the concept of governance, derives a model of basic governance types and discusses their capacity pre‐requisites. A model of capacity is developed combining competences over three levels of activities with analysis of resource capabilities at each level. This analysis is then applied to the common modes of governance. While each mode requires all types of capacity if it is to match its theoretically optimal potential, most on‐the‐ground modes do not attain their highest potential. Moreover, each mode has a critical type of capacity which serves as its principle vulnerability; its “Achilles' heel.” Without high levels of the requisite capacity, the governance mode is unlikely to perform as expected. While some hybrid modes can serve to supplement or reinforce each other and bridge capacity gaps, other mixed forms may aggravate single mode issues. Switching between modes or adopting hybrid modes is, therefore, a non‐trivial issue in which considerations of capacity issues in general and Achilles' heel capacities in particular should be a central concern.     

Why We Need Postmortem Analysis of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

The prevalence of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is increasing. However, postmortem analysis of CIEDs is not performed routinely. Fourteen consecutive CIEDs were analyzed. The indication for and date of implantation, technical data, CIED reprogramming, heart rhythm disturbances, patient demographics and medical consultations were investigated. Death during the first year after implantation was seen in 54%, whereof 71% consulted a physician within 10 days before death. The time of death was attributed to a particular day in 29%. There was a relationship between CIEDs and cause/manner of death in 50%. Although limited by a small sample size, this study advocates the routine postmortem CIED analysis for forensic and clinical purposes in selected cases. Patients with CIEDs seem to show an increased risk of death during the first year after implantation. The analysis of CIEDs can be helpful in evaluating the time/cause/manner of death.     

Improving court-appearance rates through court-date reminder phone calls

Without a defendant’s appearance in court, the adjudication of criminal charges cannot proceed. The low defendant court appearance rates of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana were identified as a high priority to address. A pilot project was implemented, in which, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO) Information Officers would call defendants approximately 5–9 days before their pretrial court appearance. This process began in September 2014. LPSO staff attempted to call all non-incarcerated or diverted defendants with known contact information. LPSO staff documented when calls were made and the type of response (spoke to defendant, left a voicemail, no answer, inoperable phone or spoke to friend or family member). Calls were made to defendants with court appearances in arraignment hearings, misdemeanor pretrial and trial, felony pretrial and traffic court. Court appearance rates for all court hearings increased from 48 to 62%.     

我国农村社会养老保险中政府财政责任探讨

政府是社会保障中重要的主体,在大部分国家政府承担着社会保障的主要责任.本文在对政府社会保障责任来源进行理论阐述后,以我国政府的财政责任为研究对象,通过对目前我国农村社会养老保险的现状以及我国农村面临的特殊环境进行分析后,明确我国政府必须在农村社会养老保险中承担适度的财政责任.     

中国市场经济法律:进展与评价

我国建立社会主义市场经济是在计划经济的基础上进行的,由此决定了市场经济法律体系的特殊性。目前中国的市场经济法律体系已初步形成,但仍存在不足：如观念尚待更新;企业受到过多的行政管制;市场经济法律体系有待完备,须及早颁行反垄断法、国有资产法、国民经济稳定增长法、计划法等;法律可操作性不够。今后,更重要的将是提高执法水平、严格执法程序、惩治司法腐败。     

The regulatory state in developing countries: Redistribution and regulatory failure in Brazil

Following the traditional doctrine of the “regulatory state”, regulatory agencies should be given very focused mandates and stay away from the politicized realm of distributive policies and decisions. An opposing perspective would state that if regulatory agencies can contribute to economic redistribution, positive results such as network expansion, economies of scale, and fiscal efficiency will ultimately lead to lower levels of regulatory failure. This article tests whether, in countries of high socio-economic inequality, such as Brazil, the active incorporation of distributive considerations by regulatory agencies leads to lower levels of failure. Through the analysis of the activities of seven Brazilian network regulatory agencies, the article develops theory-driven expectations and tests these expectations using crisp set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA). It concludes that not prioritizing redistribution is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for regulatory agencies' failure. In most types of failure, a lack of priority to redistribution leads to failure when combined with low regulatory capacity and low levels of competence.     

What Difference Does a Robe Make? Comparing Mediators with and without Prior Judicial Experience

This article reports the results of two studies. The first study, based on the responses of attorneys to questions about the reasons for the success of mediators with and without prior judicial experience, shows that the capacity of the mediator to gain the confidence of the disputants was most important for mediators with and without prior judicial experience. Although certain process skills were viewed as important to the success of both former judges and nonjudges, in general, process skills were significantly more important for nonjudges than for former judges. The capacity to provide useful case evaluations, on the other hand, was significantly more important for former judges than for nonjudges. The second study, based upon attorney responses to questions about unsatisfactory mediators, reinforced the conclusions of the first study regarding the importance of confidence-building attributes. For both judges and nonjudges, the mediator's inability to gain the confidence of the parties was a major reason for his or her lack of success.     

婚姻市场要价:理解农村婚姻交换现象的一个框架

本文基于各地农村大量的婚姻现象,抽象出婚姻市场要价这一理解当前农村婚姻交换的理论框架。该理论以农村人口流动中婚姻市场形成与农村婚姻资源配置的结构性失衡为背景,阐述了婚姻财礼的性质,以及婚姻市场中女方要价的可欲性、可能性与基础性,论述了男方婚姻负担的表现形态,并呈现了婚姻变迁所带来的一系列社会后果。     

我国国债市场的发展现状及存在的问题

近年来,我国的国债市场取得了令人瞩目的成就.但是,当前我国国债市场仍然面临着一系列问题,大力发展以国债市场为主的债券市场,发挥债券市场在金融商品的定价基准、投资组合和风险管理、有效配置社会资金资源的有效作用,已经成为各方共识.     

日本银行体系的脆弱性与其金融安全网的演变

金融安全网作为保持金融体系、尤其是银行体系安全稳健运行而建立的危机防范和管理的一系列制度安排,一直受到各国金融监管当局和相关学者的关注。日本从二战后至80年代金融业处于长期稳定状态,使许多人推崇日本当时的金融安全网。然而,正是这个安全网阻碍了市场约束发挥作用,掩盖了日本银行体系长期积累下的脆弱性。进入90年代,随着金融环境的变化,日本传统的金融安全网明显失效,其金融业进入长达十余年的不稳定时期。安全网也随之发生变革。