Download or read book Outcome Based Performance Management in the Public Sector written by Elio Borgonovi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-07-17 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights the use of an outcome-oriented view of performance to frame and assess the desirability of the effects produced by adopted policies, so to allow governments not only to consider effects in the short, but also the long run. Furthermore, it does not only focus on policy from the perspective of a single unit or institution, but also under an inter-institutional viewpoint. This book features theoretical and empirical research on how public organizations have evolved their performance management systems toward outcome measures that may allow one to better deal with wicked problems. Today, ‘wicked problems’ characterize most of governmental planning involving social issues. These are complex policy problems, underlying high risk and uncertainty, and a high interdependency among variables affecting them. Such problems cannot be clustered within the boundaries of a single organization, or referred to specific administrative levels or ministries. They are characterized by dynamic complexity, involving multi-level, multi-actor and multi-sectoral challenges. In the last decade, a number of countries have started to develop new approaches that may enable to improve cohesion, to effectively deal with wicked problems. The chapters in this book showcase these approaches, which encourage the adoption of more flexible and pervasive governmental systems to overcome such complex problems. Outcome-Based Performance Management in the Public Sector is divided into five parts. Part 1 aims at shedding light on problems and issues implied in the design and implementation of “outcome-based” performance management systems in the public sector. Then Part 2 illustrates the experiences, problems, and evolving trends in three different countries (Scotland, USA, and Italy) towards the adoption of outcome-based performance management systems in the public sector. Such analyses are conducted at both the national and local government levels. The third part of the book frames how outcome-based performance management can enhance public governance and inter-institutional coordination. Part 4 deals with the illustration of challenges and results from different public sector domains. Finally the book concludes in Part 5 as it examines innovative methods and tools that may support decision makers in dealing with the challenges of outcome-based performance management in the public sector. Though the book is specifically focused on a research target, it will also be useful to practitioners and master students in public administration .

Download or read book Analyzing Nonrenewable Resource Supply written by Douglas R. Bohi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-09-16 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in 1984, Douglas A. Bohi and Michael A. Toman have produced a convenient reference source about disparate elements in the theory of nonrenewable resource supply and about general issues that arise when applying dynamic economic analysis. The authors emphasise the inherently dynamic nature of resource supply decisions, the effects of resource depletion on costs and behaviour, and the influence of uncertainty about costs, prices, and reserves. This title will be useful to students interested in environmental studies and economics, practitioners, and others who need to know more about complex interactions of economic forces and the resource base.

Download or read book An Introduction to Utilitarianism written by Richard Chappell and published by Hackett Publishing. This book was released on 2024-10-11 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Introduction to Utilitarianism: From Theory to Practice is a state-of-the-art text, simultaneously accessible to introductory students and informative for more advanced readers. Two key features set it apart. First, its comprehensive coverage of the arguments for and against utilitarianism is unparalleled. Second, it takes seriously the practical implications of utilitarianism for how we should live, with a particular emphasis on utilitarianism's impartial beneficence and its focus on effectiveness. Guided by the conviction that practical ethics is more about how best to use our limited time and resources than which victims to hit with trolleys in thought experiments, its practical upshots should prove amenable to utilitarians and non-utilitarians alike.

Download or read book Economics and Finance of Risk and of the Future written by Robert Kast and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2006-06-14 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book uses real-world examples to show how individual and collective risks can be blended and treated in a reliable decision-making framework that draws its inspiration from decision theory and market based mechanisms. It then goes into deeper detail by looking at the implications of having to face risks (a) where some kind of probabilistic description is available and (b) where none is available, using the example of insurable risks vs non-insurable risks. Again, by using real-world examples it shows how decision-makers can cope with such situations by a proper understanding and use of modern financial techniques.

Download or read book Decision Theory Models for Applications in Artificial Intelligence Concepts and Solutions written by Sucar, L. Enrique and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2011-10-31 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the goals of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating autonomous agents that must make decisions based on uncertain and incomplete information. The goal is to design rational agents that must take the best action given the information available and their goals. Decision Theory Models for Applications in Artificial Intelligence: Concepts and Solutions provides an introduction to different types of decision theory techniques, including MDPs, POMDPs, Influence Diagrams, and Reinforcement Learning, and illustrates their application in artificial intelligence. This book provides insights into the advantages and challenges of using decision theory models for developing intelligent systems.

Download or read book Advances in Design and Digital Communication IV written by Nuno Martins and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-11-30 with total page 992 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reports on research findings and practical lessons featuring advances in the areas of digital and interaction design, graphic design and branding, design education, society and communication in design practice, and related ones. Gathering the proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Digital Design and Communication, Digicom 2023, held on November 9-11, 2023, as a hybrid event, in/from Barcelos, Portugal, this book continues the tradition of the previous ones reporting on new design strategies to foster digital communication within and between the society, institutions and brands. By highlighting innovative ideas and reporting on multidisciplinary projects, it offers a source of inspiration for designers of all kinds, including graphic and web designers, UI, UX and social media designers, and to researchers, advertisers, artists, and brand and corporate communication managers alike.

Download or read book Decision Making under Uncertainty written by Kerstin Preuschoff and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2015-06-16 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most decisions in life are based on incomplete information and have uncertain consequences. To successfully cope with real-life situations, the nervous system has to estimate, represent and eventually resolve uncertainty at various levels. A common tradeoff in such decisions involves those between the magnitude of the expected rewards and the uncertainty of obtaining the rewards. For instance, a decision maker may choose to forgo the high expected rewards of investing in the stock market and settle instead for the lower expected reward and much less uncertainty of a savings account. Little is known about how different forms of uncertainty, such as risk or ambiguity, are processed and learned about and how they are integrated with expected rewards and individual preferences throughout the decision making process. With this Research Topic we aim to provide a deeper and more detailed understanding of the processes behind decision making under uncertainty.

Download or read book 99 Essential Weight Loss Blogpostposts written by Kenneth Schwarz Ph.D. and published by Symmetry Press LLC. This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What above all else will make it possible for you to lose weight? It's "getting yourself to do it". That's what."Getting yourself to do it" is a psychological course of action. These 99 essential weight loss blogposts are all about the psychology you will need for "getting yourself to do it"-- START, STICK TO IT, KEEP IT OFF. The very first psychological step you have to take to lose weight is to "get yourself to" START. A good start comes from being able to support your well-meaning intentions. For starting, there are certain essentials for you to keep in mind and be prepared for. Once you are ready to use these essentials, starting will be a lot less troublesome.When you try to STICK TO IT, you will be replacing old behaviors with new behaviors. The psychology in this phase of weight loss is built into a series of actions and steps for you to take. Sticking to it always involves a lot of "getting yourself to do it."In the KEEP IT OFF phase you will no longer be losing weight. Gone will be the safety net of a weight loss diet and the motivational satisfaction of losing weight. More than ever, keeping your lost weight off is the time to have all your psychology working for you.

Download or read book Politics and History written by Ron Christenson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-04 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Raymond Aron, French scholar, journalist, philosopher, sociologist, and historian, is internationally recognized as one of the great thinkers in the modern social sciences, bringing to contemporary history the insights of both philosophy and social science. This edition focuses on Aron's lifelong attempt to bridge the gap between knowledge and action and to understand the dialectical relationship between history and politics. It is an indispensable introduction to one of the most important thinkers of our century.This volume also contains an introduction by Aron, which presents an autobiographical account of his confrontation with many of the most important ideas of this century. Miriam Bernheim Conant provides perceptive commentary as well as a chronology of Aron's career and works.

Download or read book Sallust s Histories and Triumviral Historiography written by Jennifer Gerrish and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-05-20 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sallust’s Histories and Triumviral Historiography explores the historiographical innovations of the first century Roman historian Sallust, focusing on the fragmentary Histories, an account of the turbulent years after the death of the dictator Sulla. The Histories were written during the violent transition from republic to empire, when Rome's political problems seemed insoluble and its morals hopelessly decayed. The ruling triumvirate of Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus created a false sense of hope for the future, relentlessly insisting that they were bringing peace to the republic. The Histories address the challenges posed to historians by both civil war and authoritarian rule. What does it mean, Sallust asks, to write history under a regime that so skillfully manipulates or even replaces facts with a more favorable narrative? Historiography needed a new purpose to remain relevant and useful in the triumviral world. In the Histories, Sallust adopts an analogical method of historiography that enables him to confront contemporary issues under the pretext of historical narrative. The allusive Histories challenge Sallust's audience to parse and analyze history as it is being "written" by the actors themselves and to interrogate the relationship between words and deeds. The first monograph in any language on the Histories, this book offers comprehensive reading of Sallust’s third and final work, featuring discussion of a wide selection of fragments beyond the speech and letters, set-pieces that have generally been studied in isolation. It offers a valuable resource for academics and postgraduates working on ancient historiography and Latin literature more generally; it will also be of interest to ancient historians working on the late Roman Republic. With English translations of all Greek and Latin passages, this book will also be useful for undergraduate and graduate courses on historiography, Latin literature, and Roman history.

Download or read book A I D Research and Development Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Affect and Cognition in Criminal Decision Making written by Jean-Louis van Gelder and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-26 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research and theorizing on criminal decision making has not kept pace with recent developments in other fields of human decision making. Whereas criminal decision making theory is still largely dominated by cognitive approaches such as rational choice-based models, psychologists, behavioral economists and neuroscientists have found affect (i.e., emotions, moods) and visceral factors such as sexual arousal and drug craving, to play a fundamental role in human decision processes. This book examines alternative approaches to incorporating affect into criminal decision making and testing its influence on such decisions. In so doing it generalizes extant cognitive theories of criminal decision making by incorporating affect into the decision process. In two conceptual and ten empirical chapters it is carefully argued how affect influences criminal decisions alongside rational and cognitive considerations. The empirical studies use a wide variety of methods ranging from interviews and observations to experimental approaches and questionnaires, and treat crimes as diverse as street robbery, pilfering, and sex offences. It will be of interest to criminologists, social psychologists, judgment and decision making researchers, behavioral economists and sociologists alike.

Download or read book Decision Making and Leadership written by Frank A. Heller and published by CUP Archive. This book was released on 1992-06-25 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Routledge Handbook of Evolutionary Economics written by Kurt Dopfer and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-11-27 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While dating from post-Classical economists such as Thorstein Veblen and Joseph Schumpeter, the inception of the modern field of evolutionary economics is usually dated to the early 1980s. Broadly speaking, evolutionary economics sees the economy as undergoing continual, evolutionary change. Evolutionary change indicates that these changes were not planned, but rather were the result of innovations and selection processes. These often involved winners and losers, but most importantly, they resulted in actors learning what was and was not working. Evolutionary economics, in contrast to mainstream economics, emphasises the relevance of variables such as technology, institutions, decision rules, routines, or consumer preferences for explaining the complex evolutionary changes in the economy. In so doing, evolutionary economics significantly broadens the scope of economic analysis, and sheds new light on key concepts and issues of the discipline. This handbook draws on a stellar cast list of international contributors, ranging from the founders of the field to the newest voices. The volume explores the current state of the art in the field of evolutionary economics at the levels of the micro (e.g. firms and households), meso (e.g. industries and institutions), and macro (e.g. economic policy, structure, and growth). Overall, the Routledge Handbook of Evolutionary Economics provides an excellent overview of current trends and issues in this rapidly developing field.

Download or read book Working with Risk written by Hazel Kemshall and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-10-30 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Assessing and managing risk is a daily challenge for social workers. Working with risk can be anxiety provoking and demanding, requiring great skill and high levels of confidence. In these complex situations, social workers have to work hard to get the balance right. This innovative book focuses on the development and use of skills for work with risk. Using a range of case studies, examples and reflective exercises, the authors examine the key skills required to work effectively with risk. Various chapters focus on assessment skills, gathering and evaluation of information, decision-making challenges, and ethical issues. Recognising the difficulties presented in the context of busy statutory work, there is a strong focus on practical skills and tips for improving risk management plans. The book also pays careful attention to the emotional impact of working with risk, with a final chapter on the management of self in the challenging and sometimes distressing world of social work. Written in a reader-friendly, accessible style, the book will be essential reading for students and staff across a range of social work settings, including community care, adult services, child protection and mental health.

Download or read book Modeling Populations of Adaptive Individuals written by Steven F. Railsback and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-19 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book offers a new theory for modeling how organisms make tradeoff decisions and how these decisions affect both individuals and populations. Tradeoff decisions (or behaviors) are those that are optimize survival and include behaviors like foraging and reproduction. Existing theories have not painted a complete picture of tradeoff decisions because they only observe how the decisions of an individual affect them rather than how individuals impact, and are impacted by, the behavior of their communities. The authors' theory-which they call state and prediction based theory-uses individual-based models since these models show the complex ways that organisms relate to their environment. The authors' broader approach, one that integrates behavior and population dynamics, allows ecologists to see how individuals make adaptive tradeoff decisions. In simpler terms, this theory does not assume, as the previous models do, that future conditions are fixed, known, and unaffected by the behavior of others. Instead, the authors assume individuals make decisions like people do, which is by forecasting future conditions, using approximation to make good decisions, and updating their choices as conditions change"--

Download or read book Geographies of Rhythm written by Tim Edensor and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-15 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Rhythmanalysis, Henri Lefebvre put forward his ideas on the relationship between time and space, particularly how rhythms characterize space. Here, leading geographers advance and expand on Lefebvre's theories, examining how they intersect with current theoretical and political concerns within the social sciences. In terms of geography, rhythmanalysis highlights tensions between repetition and innovation, between the need for consistency and the need for disruption. These tensions reveal the ways in which social time is managed to ensure a measure of stability through the instantiation of temporal norms, whilst at the same time showing how this is often challenged. In looking at the rhythms of geographies, and drawing upon a wide range of geographical contexts, this book explores the ordering of different rhythms according to four main themes: rhythms of nature, rhythms of everyday life, rhythms of mobility, and the official and routine rhythms which superimpose themselves on the multiple rhythms of the body.