The Imbalance between Public Expectations and Resource Provision in Developing Countries: Can Inter-Assemblies Cooperation Reduce the Gap?

ABSTRACT

Local authorities have long sought for solutions to the numerous service delivery challenges arising out of increasing demands from the general public coupled with budgetary constraints. One such solution is inter-organisational cooperation which has been found as an alternative cost-effective way of providing services to the general public. Drawing on resource-dependency theory, this paper explores the possibilities and challenges of cooperation among Assemblies in Ghana by adopting a qualitative approach. The findings reveal that inter-district cooperation is still at its development stages in Ghana despite the respondents’ recognition that it has the potential to address most of the problems faced by District Assemblies in Ghana.     

Why Does Copyright Ignore Performers? The Case of Flamenco in Spain

Abstract

This article analyzes the gap between the perceived value of the performer's contributions to the musical work and the treatment that it receives in the market. It applies to the case of flamenco in Spain. The proposed methodology is based on three approaches: a study of intellectual property laws; interviews with experts to differentiate among creative and humdrum agents; and finally, double system surveys to determine the perceived valuation of the contributions of such agents. The conclusions show how the flamenco performer develops a creative labor; however, it is not protected by copyright or via royalties, commensurate with its importance.     

Measuring knowledge management in a virtual chat room: A case study

Abstract

Many organisations deem the virtual workplace to be a solution to challenges such as global competition, accelerated product development, improved quality and customer service, to mention but a few. In spite of the success of virtual communities on the Internet and although a significant amount of research has been conducted on virtual organisations, very few studies have focused on the evaluation of the combined effects of the theoretical variables of knowledge management in virtual communities. Advanced web analytics have been used in some instances to test the content of virtual communities, like discussion forums, hat rooms and the like. Because a plethora of chat rooms are devoted to special interest topics that may implicitly contain information and insights on consumers, knowledge creation and sharing, it creates the ideal opportunity to measure the management of knowledge therein. The aim of this article is, therefore, to measure knowledge management in a virtual community (an online chat room of an academic institution). Firstly, the article propounds a brief overview of the theoretical underpinning of the study by proposing a conceptual framework for the measurement of knowledge management in virtual communities. Secondly, the methodology to measure the knowledge management in a chat room of an educational institution is outlined. Finally, the research results are presented and recommendations are made for future research.     

中国共产党的创建专题研究--五四运动为中共创建作出了不可替代的贡献

中国共产党的诞生不是孤立或偶然的现象,有其特定的社会背景和历史渊源。五四反帝爱国运动以雷霆万钧之力,冲破了辛亥革命失败后的沉闷空气,唤起亿万人民觉醒,使中国的民主革命进入了一个新的阶段,为中国共产党的创建奠定了思想基础、阶级基础和组织基础。可以说,五四运动为中共的创建作出了不可替代的贡献。     

省级统管地方法院法官任用改革审思———基于实证考察的分析

对于地方法院法官的任用,实践中已经发展出一套独特的机制:绝大部分法官任用的实质性决策权主要由法院内部及本级党组掌握,法院外部的权力主体及上级法院仅参与法院领导的任用;任用标准表现为以职业化为主,兼顾领导管理能力;任用程序上则形成多元化、有限竞争的选任格局.从效果层面分析,这套机制具有相当的经济性,通常能够选拔出具有一定业务能力和领导管理能力的法官及法院领导,但其存在的问题也较为明显.这套机制的形成主要与中国整体的干部任用制度以及司法制度建设、改革的进程有关.整体上看,目前着手推进的省级统管地方法院法官任用的改革,会在一定程度上解决以往地方法院法官、院长任用过程中可能存在的“地方主义”甚至“山头主义”、“保护主义”等问题,但也可能存在信息收集能力较差、任用成本过高等不足.“有限集中,分层授权”是既可解决上述问题,又能兼顾地方法院法官任用机制改革基本出发点的有效改革方略.     

E-Government with Big Data Enabled through Smartphone for Public Services: Possibilities and Challenges

Big data shows great promise in public services to personalized e-government service delivery. Big data is a new generation of extracting value from a large volume of data sources with enabling high-velocity capture, analysis, and discovery for forecasting and better decision making. This article discusses the potential of big data application in e-government based on survey findings from smartphone habit as part of big data source. Data produced from smartphones usage is one of the main sources of big data. Online services can easily be accessed using smartphones, which support continuous engagement with citizens using e-government services. This study deployed quantitative survey findings from the smartphone habit of users in Brunei Darussalam. It presents an interpretative model that examines the important factors to consider big data in public services and discusses general challenges for integrating e-government services facing a big data era.     

司法区与行政区适度分离的司法体制改革问题研究

十八届三中全会后，新一轮司法体制改革正在积极酝酿。《中共中央关于全面深化改革若干重大问题的决定》提出了司法区与行政区适度分离的司法体制改革设想，司法区与行政区适度分离的体制与机制问题的设计与探讨成为迫在眉睫需要予以关注的时代课题。本文在对司法区与行政区之间关系进行实证考察的基础上，深入阐述了司法区与行政区适度分离的意义和价值，尝试性地对司法区与行政区适度分离的体制和支撑机制进行建构，并提出了在推进司法区与行政区适度分离的司法体制改革中应当坚持的基本原则。     

监狱工作的社会责任体系构建(上)——社会管理创新形势下基于利益相关者理论的视角

监狱工作的终极目的是为了在社会上预防和减少犯罪。但是,监狱只能管"三尺门里",只有按照中央提出的社会管理创新要坚持"以人为本、服务为先、多方参与、共同治理"的原则,科学构建监狱工作的社会责任体系,才能全面提升监狱工作的绩效。本文从利益相关者理论视角出发,来分析在社会管理创新的新形势下监狱工作的社会责任体系构建问题。构建了在社会管理创新的新形势下监狱工作的科学化、系统化、常态化的社会责任体系。     

关于创建劳模创新工作室的认识

劳模创新工作室是近年来工会劳模工作中涌现的一个新生事物,是弘扬新时期劳模精神的重要载体,是提升职工队伍素质的有效举措,是推动企事业创新发展的迫切需要,更是履行工会服务大局职能的必然要求。劳模创新工作室的创建要注意做到"八个必有",坚持"六个结合",把握好"三个环节",并着力做好协调促进工作。     

知识经济时代下的散文创作

知识经济时代要求21世纪的散文创作深入开拓现实生活,更新创作观念,拓宽创作领域,并真正实现创作艺术的多元化,以不断克服野蛮、粗鄙、流俗文化的侵扰,力争出现散文大家和震撼人心的大气之作。