The Experts below are selected from a list of 153648 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Scott Rozelle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Ho Lun Wong - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Renfu Luo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Linxiu Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role.
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providing quality infrastructure in rural villages the case of rural roads in china
Journal of Development Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ho Lun Wong, Renfu Luo, Linxiu Zhang, Scott RozelleAbstract:When seeking to build high quality and cost-effective infrastructure in rural villages, a fundamental question is: Who is better at doing so? Should the village leadership or a Government Agency above the village finance and/or manage the construction of the infrastructure project? To answer this question, we surveyed all rural road projects in 101 villages in rural China between 2003 and 2007 and measured the quality and per kilometer cost of each road. According to our analysis, road quality was higher when more of the project funds came from the Government Agency above. Moreover, projects had lower cost per kilometer when the village leaders managed the road construction. Overall, our findings suggest that to build high quality and cost-effective rural roads village leaders and Government agencies should collaborate and each specialize in a specific project role. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Gillian Hallam - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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commonwealth Government Agency libraries review stage 2 report consultation with senior executives and policy managers in Government agencies
2017Co-Authors: Gillian HallamAbstract:In 2015, the Executive of the Australian Government Libraries and Information Network (AGLIN) commissioned a study into Commonwealth Government library and research services. Following a literature review discussing the issues and challenges facing contemporary Government information services (Hallam & Faraker, 2016), relevant organisational data about the individual services was collected through an online survey, and library staff shared their views and insights in a series of focus groups. The research findings were presented in an Options Paper, which outlined four potential models for service delivery the Government library and information services (Hallam, 2016). One major limitation with the initial research project was noted: the timing of the study, late in the year, meant that it was not possible to involve senior members of the Australian Public Service in the study. The Stage 2 project, Consultation with Senior Executives and Policy Managers in Government Agencies, seeks to address these shortcomings. The value of the study lies in engaging the research subjects in discussions about the future of library and information services to support Government staff working in research, policy and regulatory agencies. The key objective for the study was to collect, analyse and interpret qualitative data on the views of senior executives and policy managers about the roles played by library and information professionals and about the service model in place in their agencies. After the key informants were selected, they were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview or complete an online questionnaire. A total of 13 interviews were conducted, with three additional online survey responses. The issues and challenges facing Government library and information professionals were discussed from the perspectives of the respondents. The support provided by library staff to ensure productive outcomes was highly valued, with particular emphasis placed on the strong relationships they established and the deep understanding they developed about the business of the Agency. There was a good appreciation of their skills and expertise in providing access to and managing information, along with the professional networks across the library sector. On the other hand, interviewees were aware of the vulnerability of staff working in small units in terms of their professional isolation and lack of career structure. The respondents acknowledged that there were significant barriers facing library and information services, primarily due to financial constraints within the public service and the disruptive nature of the evolving world of digital information and data. As funding cuts had resulted in the downsizing of library services, respondents were aware of lower levels of professional influence resulting from the increasingly transactional and less strategic directions taken. There were concerns about the relative invisibility of the library staff, with a perceived reticence about the marketing and promotion of their services. Many ideas were presented about the untapped opportunities for the library and information services, with a keen focus on the need to add value to the tasks they performed, especially in the areas of data management, information management and curation of Agency resources, and information and digital literacy. The respondents believed that library and information professionals, they should be ready and able to adapt and apply their highly specialised skills in the world of digital information. They wanted to see librarians demonstrate leadership in this area, especially as the territory was beginning to be claimed by newly trained data scientists and information managers who saw opportunities in the field. There was no clear consensus about the potential options for service models: while the organisational advantages of the Agency-centric model were recognised, the financial and professional benefits of a cluster model, similar to university library services, were also acknowledged. The Stage 2 study has successfully deepened the interpretation of the discussion presented in the Options Paper. The analysis of the rich qualitative data has validated the findings of the initial research project which identified the positive and negative attributes of Government library services. The digital world undoubtedly presented both challenges and opportunities for library and information professionals, specifically in ensuring strong commitment to evidence-based policy, fostering mature levels of information and digital literacy and driving the move into effective data management. There was an imperative for library and information professionals to focus on communication in order to sell their skillsets, raise their profile and advocate for higher level representation in their agencies. AGLIN has a clear role to play in achieving these goals for the future. The research activities undertaken in Stage 2 through the consultation with senior executives and policy managers in Commonwealth Government agencies reinforce the value of the recommendations presented in the Options Paper. The Executive and membership of AGLIN are encouraged to review the research findings presented in the report and to work together to consider the range of strategies which will build the capacity of and secure a strong and relevant future for the association, and by extension, for the individual member library and information services.
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commonwealth Government Agency libraries review research report
2016Co-Authors: Gillian HallamAbstract:The Commonwealth Government Agency Libraries Review was commissioned by the Executive Committee of the Australian Government Library and Information Network (AGLIN). The review sought to identify how Commonwealth Government library and information services might best meet their users’ needs, ensuring that the services provided are efficient, cost-effective and equitable. The principal research objectives were: to explore the issues and challenges relevant to contemporary Government library and information services; to examine the financial, administrative and technological context of Commonwealth Government library and information services; and to present and discuss potential models which could ensure the sustainable delivery of efficient, cost-effective and equitable library and information services to support the business requirements of Commonwealth Government agencies. The project commenced with a literature review and environmental scan to examine and discuss the diverse issues impacting on the provision of Government information and research services, including current developments in Government administration, national and international trends in Government library services, and the skills and competencies required by library and information professionals working in this sector. A primarily quantitative survey was used to collect data about the individual library services, and focus groups were held to capture qualitative data from respondents employed in Commonwealth Government libraries. The findings revealed that those Government library and information services responding to the main survey were far from homogeneous. Some information services supported regulatory bodies, some supported research-intensive agencies, while others were aligned with the policy portfolios of a particular Government department. There was a considerable range of size – in terms of the number of staff, the allocation of space for the library, the extent of the collections, and the technologies used – as well as significantly diverse subject foci for the individual information services. Despite the differences, respondents shared a passionate commitment to provide high quality services and to ensure that the specific information needs of the users of the services were met. It was apparent, however, that these library and information services faced many challenges. For the smaller services, the professional isolation of the librarians was a major concern, which increased the vulnerability of the services in times of fiscal uncertainty. The administrative complexities caused by Machinery of Government (MoG) changes, frequently accompanied by reductions in funding and downsizing of staffing levels, had had a direct and negative impact on the provision of timely and relevant information and research services. The information and communications technology (ICT) environment represented a further significant challenge for many of the respondents. Although some Government library and information professionals were able to drive a new digital agenda in their agencies, others had found themselves stymied by restrictive ICT policies and practices. Nevertheless, respondents were keen to ensure that good professional practice was sustained, with library staff supporting and leading change within their agencies. Current developments in the public service which encourage a digitally literate public service, a culture of innovation, and the imperative of informed, evidence-based policy will stimulate the development of alternative approaches to delivering information services. Four options for potential models of service delivery are outlined: Option 1 – Status Quo; Option 2 – Shared Services model; Option 3 – Cluster model; Option 4 – Collaborative Projects model. The advantages and disadvantages of each model are highlighted, together with the requirements which should underpin the respective models if efficient, cost-effective and equitable services are to be offered to users across the Commonwealth Government.
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commonwealth Government Agency libraries review literature review
Science & Engineering Faculty, 2016Co-Authors: Gillian Hallam, David FarakerAbstract:Ongoing financial, administrative, and technological changes present significant challenges and opportunities for Government libraries in delivering services to their clients. Determining how Government library and information services might best confront these challenges and take advantage of new opportunities is crucial for the future of the sector. The Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN) has commissioned a review of service delivery models in Commonwealth Government libraries. As an initial step in the project, a literature review was undertaken in order to consider the issues which impact directly on Government library service provision today. The literature review builds on and updates the review prepared for the Queensland Government Agency Libraries Review (QGALR) five years ago.
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queensland Government Agency libraries review literature review
2010Co-Authors: Gillian HallamAbstract:Dr Gillian Hallam is project leader for the Queensland Government Agency Libraries Review. As an initial step in the project, a literature review was commissioned to guide the research activities and inform the development of options for potential future service delivery models for the Government Agency libraries. The review presents an environmental scan and review of the professional and academic literature to consider a range of current perspectives on library and information services. Significant in this review is the focus on the specific issues and challenges impacting on contemporary Government libraries and their staff. The review incorporates four key areas: current directions in Government administration; trends in Government library services; issues in contemporary special libraries; and the skills and competencies of special librarians. Rather than representing an exhaustive review, the research has primarily centred on recent journal articles, conference papers, reports and web resources. Commentary prepared by national and international library associations has also played a role informing this review, as does the relevant State and Federal Government documentation and reporting.
