Ontologies for crisis management:a review of state of the art in ontology design and usability

The growing use of a variety of information systems in crisis management both by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and emergency management agencies makes the challenges of information sharing and interoperability increasingly important. The use of semantic web technologies is a growing area and is a technology stack specifically suited to these challenges. This paper presents a review of ontologies, vocabularies and taxonomies that are useful in crisis management systems. We identify the different subject areas relevant to crisis management based on a review of the literature. The different ontologies and vocabularies available are analysed in terms of their coverage, design and usability. We also consider the use cases for which they were designed and the degree to which they follow a variety of standards. While providing comprehensive ontologies for the crisis domain is not feasible or desirable there is considerable scope to develop ontologies for the subject areas not currently covered and for the purposes of interoperability.

Collaborating to achieve corporate social responsibility and sustainability? Possibilities and problems

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibilities and problems for collaboration in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. The paper explores the nature and concept of collaboration and its forms, and critically evaluates the potential contribution a collaborative approach between agencies might offer to these agendas. Design/methodology/approach: The paper explores different forms of research on collaboration, together with a UK Government report on collaboration, to evaluate how the issue is addressed in theory and practice. Findings: Sustainable development creates extensive challenges for a wide range of agencies, including governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses and civil society. It is unlikely, however, that solutions will be found in any one quarter. Collaboration between agencies in some form would seem a logical step in supporting measures towards a more responsible and environmentally sustainable global economy. Originality/value: The paper offers new insights into developing a research and praxis agenda for collaborative possibilities towards the advancement of CSR and sustainability. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

International cooperation against climate change: institutions, policies and their efficiency

In the 20th century nature of the world economy has started to change significantly, and the former state-centric constellation disappeared. Several development factors that induced the change are still active and nowadays we live in a much different world. The world economy consists of transnational networks; these complicated systems have a great impact on the world of states. The transnational actors’ (multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations etc) influence became very essential as they are able to mobilize the society, have high expertise (think tanks), but it is also important to note their financial strength and moral effects (norm entrepreneurs).

Against small arms: An analysis of an international network

Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) proliferation was undertaken by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as the next important issue in international relations after the success of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). This dissertation focuses on the reasons why the issue of SALW resulted in an Action Program rather than an international convention. Thus, this result was considered as unsuccessful by the advocates of regulating the illicit trade in SALW. The study provides a social movement theoretical approach, using framing, political opportunity and network analysis to explain why the advocates of regulating the illicit trade in SALW did no succeed in their goals. The UN is taken as the arena in which NGOs, States and International Governmental Organizations (IGOs) discussed the illicit trade in SALW. ^ The findings of the study indicate that the political opportunity for the issue of SALW was not ideal. The network of NGOs, States and IGOs was not strong. The NGOs advocating regulation of SALW were divided over the approach of the issue and were part of different coalitions with differing objectives. Despite initial widespread interest among States, only a couple of States were fully committed to the issue till the end. The regional IGOs approached the issue based on their regional priorities and were less interested in an international covenant. The advocates of regulating illicit trade in SALW attempted to frame SALW as a humanitarian issue rather than as a security issue. Thus they were not able to use frame alignment to convince states to treat SALW as a humanitarian issue. In conclusion it can be said that all three items, framing, political opportunity and the network, play a role in the lack of success of advocates for regulating the illicit trade in SALW. ^

Secondary stakeholders as agents of influence: Three essays on political risk, reputation, and multinational performance

Organizational researchers have recently taken an interest in the ways in which social movements, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other secondary stakeholders attempt to influence corporate behavior. Scholars, however, have yet to carefully probe the link between secondary stakeholder legal action and target firm stock market performance. This is puzzling given the sharp rise in NGO-initiated civil lawsuits against corporations in recent years for alleged overseas human rights abuses and environmental misconduct. Furthermore, few studies have considered how such lawsuits impact a target firm’s intangible assets, namely its image and reputation. Structured in the form of three essays, this dissertation examined the antecedents and consequences of secondary stakeholder legal activism in both conceptual and empirical settings. ^ Essay One argued that conventional approaches to understanding political risk fail to account for the reputational risks to multinational enterprises (MNEs) posed by transnational networks of human rights NGOs employing litigation-based strategies. It offered a new framework for understanding this emerging challenge to multinational corporate activity. Essay Two empirically tested the relationship between the filing of human rights-related civil lawsuits and corporate stock market performance using an event study methodology and regression analysis. The statistical analysis performed showed that target firms experience a significant decline in share price upon filing and that both industry and nature of the lawsuit are significantly and negatively related to shareholder wealth. Essay Three drew upon social movement and social identity theories to develop and test a set of hypotheses on how secondary stakeholder groups select their targets for human rights-related civil lawsuits. The results of a logistic regression model offered support for the proposition that MNE targets are chosen based on both interest and identity factors. The results of these essays suggest that legal action initiated by secondary stakeholder groups is a new and salient threat to multinational business and that firms doing business in countries with weak political institutions should factor this into corporate planning and take steps to mitigate their exposure to such risks.^

Concepções de mulheres com deficiência física sobre a maternidade

The study aimed to understand the concept of women with physical disabilities about their ability to gestate, give birth or care a child. This is an exploratory, descriptive study with qualitative approach developed in three non-governmental organizations in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data collection occurred in the period from April to June, 2014, through semi-structured interviews, using a script composed by sociodemographic questions and a guiding one. It was obtained a priori the permission from the association’s directors, the approval from the Research Ethics Committee, of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, CAAE nº 27442814.7.0000.5537 and the assent n° 618.045, as well as the participant’s formal authorization by signing the Informed Consent Statement. Participated in the study 12 women, selected according to the following inclusion criteria: to have physical disability, to be aged 18 to 49 years old, and to affirm the existence of limiting characteristics from early childhood (0-3 years). The information obtained in the interviews were subjected to the precepts of Content Analysis according to Bardin, under the thematic analysis technique. From this process, three categories emerged: Conceiving motherhood in front of disability; Conceiving the capacity to be mother with disability; and Conceiving the support during pregnancy and puerperium period. As the theoretical framework we adopted the principles of symbolic interactionism proposed by Blumer. The discussion was supported by literature findings on women's health care in the context of reproduction. The interviewees conceive motherhood as an accomplishment and believe in their own ability to gestate, give birth and care a child. However, the desire for the maternal role tends to be influenced by adverse feelings and limitations raised by disability, social barriers and prejudices. They also referred the importance of support from partner, family and health professionals in the care of child. Upon these findings, it is understood that although there are barriers to the realization of their desire, these barriers were not enough to make them give up on becoming a mother. Therefore, it is necessary that health professionals, highlighted the nurse, be trained to care for women with disabilities in the context of reproductive health care in order to offer adequate support to their needs

A relação entre desempenho e a forma legal das instituições de microcrédito

This work test the relationship of performance and legal form of microfinance institutions (MFI), in our work MFI can be banks, non-governmental organizations (NGO), cooperatives, non-banks financial institutions (NBFI) or rural banks. We use linear regression model, panel data and variables dummy for the legal forms. Our samples are 243 MFI from all continents, except North America, in the period from 2007 to 2012. We found that bigger MFI generates higher profit, higher returns and higher self-sufficiency rates, so the growing can be a way for consolidation of MFI. For smaller MFI a way can be assimilation or merging with other MFI. Cooperatives, non-bank financial institutions and rural banks can serve more customers, causing greater impact on society, and get higher returns. This suggests the most appropriate legal form for microfinance market can be cooperatives, non-banks financial institutions or rural banks balancing social orientation and profit orientation.

O nascimento de uma política pública: das articulações à formulação do PRONERA

This work aims at reconstructing the formulation process of PRONERA (National Program of Education in Agrarian Reform). A public policy that had its first ideas conceived within social movements and afterwards, made possible by diligences of then government. Therefore, the Program was rendered in a partnership among State, social movement, public institutions, and non-governmental organizations. As a goal, we intend to grasp both what motivated the choice for this proposal as a strategy to face educational problems in rural areas and how the actors, entities involved in this enterprise and the social-political context have influenced its formulation and entry in the governmental agenda as Public Policy. Thus, we reconstruct the history and education policy of and in rural areas. Besides, we seek to understand the context of PRONERA's conception, the factors that have influenced its creation and the actors' performances in the process. It is assumed that under the 1988 Constitution, civil society was provided with legal conditions for the active participation in political process and, consequently, in the public policy-making. We conclude, then, that PRONERA was the result of the crossing of three different flows (problems, solutions and policies) advocated by the Kingdon model. As a result, this analytical repertoire was useful to explain PRONERA’s entry in the government agenda, helping to understand how the chances of this social demand increased with an action from the politic community. It allowed its way in the government agenda as well as its becoming a public policy.

Saúde da população “trans”: uma revisão sistemática da produção teórica brasileira

This dissertation analyzed the existing work on travestility and transsexuality whose problematic research focused on issues related to health and / or health services. For this purpose, a Literature Review Systematized Descriptive in virtual databases was performed: Bank of Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination Thesis (CAPES), Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD), Scielo and PubMed, between the years 1997 and 2014 in Brazil. We used the search terms "transsexual," "transvestite" and "transgender", each associated with the search term "health", in Portuguese and English. Complementing this search, we used the Documentary Analysis methodology to assess pamphlets productions, institutional documents and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which were incorporated into the discussion. 295 papers were identified, among theses, dissertations and scientific articles. Of these, 223 were excluded and 72 selected for analysis. Thus, it obtained five theses and dissertations 21 on the topic of travestility and 7 theses and dissertations 9 that deal with transsexuality. Among the selected papers, 16 deal with transsexuality and health, 5 address the issue of travestility and health and work, 9 refer to the term "transgender" and "health". Even though it is an emerging field of research, there is an apparent deviation of the speech, previously anchored in questions whose topics are related to confrontation, infection or illness by HIV / AIDS (level of specialized care) for discussions on the health care for transsexuals in the process (level of specialized care). Still, few papers have specific trans attention in primary care associated with a comprehensive health care, with the empowerment of individuals, respecting the power of life, which are configured as important issues for the Public Policy on Health today.

Pratiquer l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes au sein des organisations : étude de cas des ONG au Mali.

Cette thèse analyse les pratiques d’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes au sein des organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) maliennes qui ont reçu du financement canadien. En effet, l’aide publique au développement a subi des transformations majeures depuis les années 1950. L’une de ces transformations a été le rôle important joué par les ONG dans les années 1990, à la suite de l’adoption des politiques d’ajustements structurels et de la fin de la monopolisation par l’État en ce qui a trait à l’aide publique pour les projets de développement. Entre autres, les ONG ont été sollicitées pour promouvoir les politiques d’égalité entre hommes et femmes. L’importance des ONG dans l’aide publique au développement a créé des relations de dépendances vis-à-vis des bailleurs de fonds qui imposent des conditionnalités. Nos résultats ont montré que les bailleurs de fonds exigent l’égalité entre les sexes en ce qui concerne les bénéficiaires des programmes, mais, paradoxalement, ne l’exigent pas à l’intérieur des ONG et dans leurs ressources humaines. En analysant la composition du personnel de huit ONG maliennes, nos résultats montrent que 34 % du personnel sont des femmes alors que 66 % sont des hommes, ce qui démontre un déséquilibre assez important en matière de parité. Cependant, une analyse plus fine nous indique que les pratiques d’égalité entre femmes et hommes dans les structures et dans la gestion des ressources humaines diffèrent d’une ONG à une autre. Ces pratiques dépendent beaucoup de la volonté et des valeurs des gestionnaires. Notre recherche a fait ressortir plusieurs explications de cette disparité au niveau de l’emploi des femmes. Les raisons souvent mentionnées étaient : 1) la nécessité d’avoir du personnel compétent, 2) la conciliation famille-travail, 3) le contexte socioculturel, 4) l’interprétation de la religion musulmane en matière d’égalité. En effet, nos résultats ont démontré que sous l’influence des bailleurs de fonds les ONG se sont professionnalisées, que l’impact de la professionnalisation a été différent selon le genre et que celle-ci s’est faite aux dépens des femmes. Ainsi, certains gestionnaires, quel que soit leur sexe, préfèrent recruter plus d’hommes parce qu’ils les jugent plus compétents.Nos résultats confirment la théorie du plafond de verre qui met en exergue le fait que les femmes ont de la difficulté à accéder à des postes de responsabilité. Nos résultats ont aussi démontré qu’au Mali, le contexte socioculturel et la religion jouent un grand rôle dans les relations sociales et surtout en ce qui concerne la place des femmes au sein de la société.

Programa de aquisição de alimentos (2003-2010): avaliação da implementação pela CONAB no Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis aimed to evaluate the implementation of the Food Acquisition Program(PAA) through CONAB RN in the period of 2003-2010 with the perception of all agents involved in the implementation of the government program.For the methodological trajectory it was adopted a descriptive bibliographical and documentary approach with triangular qualitative and quantitative, also called evaluative research.The theoretical model was supported by the authors Draibe (2001), Aguilar and Ander-Egg (1994) and Silva(2001), among others, that focused on family farming and evaluation of implementation of public policy having as a category of analysis the size implementation of policy and the latter divided into 10 theoretical dimensions.The universe consisted of three groups: the first were the managers and technicians from CONAB(RN and Brasilia), totaling 15 subjects. The second group was of associations/cooperatives that participated in the programin 2010, totaling a sample in each access of 15 representatives. The third group of subjects totaled with 309 representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations that received donations of food for the same period. Semi-structured interviews and forms were adopted as instruments of data collection.The data were processed qualitatively by the analysis of content (interviews and documents) and quantitatively by means of statistical tests that allowed inferences and adoption of frequencies. Among the key find ingests that the program is not standing as a structure supported by planning. The interests of the performers do not necessarily converge with the objectives of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA). A shockof goals was identified (within the same program) when comparingthe financial agent (Ministry of Rural Development and of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger Ministry r) and the executor, CONAB/RN. Within the assessed dimensions, the most fragileis the sub-managerial decision-making and Organizational Environment and internal assessment, still deserves attention the sizeof logistical and operational Subsystem, as this also proved weak.The focusin the quest toexpand thequantificationof the resultsof theFood Acquisition Program (PAA)by CONAB/RN does forget a quality management focused on what really should be:the compliance with the institutional objectives of the government program.Finally, the perspective for the traded implementation should be re-examined because excessive discretion by managers along with technical staff has characterized there al role of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) as public policy. We conclude that the implementation model, which apparently aggregates values to the benefitted citizens, has weakened the context of work on family farms having the management model of the implementation process be reviewed by the Federal Government and point too ther paths, which have as a guide line the emancipation and developmentof the field or in the field andat the same time enables the reduction of nutritional deficiency of beneficiaries in a balanced and coherent way

A representação social do papel de gestores em organizações não governamentais

The discussions concerning the absence of a management model appropriate to the peculiarities of third sector organizations have not been impeditive to their emphasized expansion in the last decades. In the attempt of understanding this phenomenon from the perspective of those who manage social organizations, this work based on the theory of social representations to understand the notion that organization managers of the third sector - based in Fortaleza CE - have of the part that they play and how this notion influences the direction of their activities. Social representations of managers of four different categories of non-governmental organizations have been investigated, each category composed of two unities. The categories researched were: social integration through art and education, prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug abuse, children s health assistance and community action. By using Doise s Societal Approach, the role of social managers translated in intraindividual, interindividual and situational processes of their actions, has been analysed within the social representations, focusing on beliefs, values, symbols and stories that give meaning to the existence of non-governmental organizations. Analysis and discussion of data displayed the existence of diversity in the understanding of managers within their practice, in other words, the management profile is also its own manager s. The branch where an organization acts is also preponderant in the shaping of a management style. It could be deduced, from to the organizations researched, that professional formation and the manager s social insertion mainly, are determinative factors in the outlining of a management model of its own. It was concluded that, due to heterogeneity of interests and action segments, there is no systematic process for social management among organizations. Management styles are supported by their director s own perception of achievement, who model organizations according to their contingencies

Parcerias municipais com o terceiro setor: o caso do conselho municipal dos direitos da criança e do adolescente de Natal

The relationship between the State and the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) needs to be analyzed and debated by the objective to extinguish or to reduce the existent failures in this partnership in order that the whole society may benefit from it. To understand how the partnership between the public and NGOs work is fundamental. The present study searches to contribute to a better understanding of this matter. With this aim, the research focused the partnership formed between Natal Child and Adolescent Council (COMDICA) and NGOs which were selected by public notice in 2007. Theoretical references were based on the Continuum of Collaboration proposed by Austin (2001) that serves to differentiate the degree and the mode of interaction between the two organizations. It was observed that in some points there is a lack in the interaction between COMDICA and the NGOs. The frequent change of the government counselors makes difficult a more intense involvement and partnership awareness with the NGOs. The NGOs members need to be more involved with the activities of COMDICA and search for a larger participation in the assemblies, on the discussions and on the intrinsic council actions. The relationship must also be rethought, since that the partnership must not be limited to financial resources support. The channels of communication must be improved and become more frequent. The evaluation and monitoring of social projects are poor and own methodologies need to be elaborated. Therefore, it is necessary to make some adjustments in this relationship involving not only the partnerships made by the selected ONGs, but also all those who assist the child and the adolescent. A closer relation makes possible a greater effectiveness of the public policies on one side and on the other side improves the performance of the COMDICA and the NGOs

Estrutura de organizações sociais: adaptação aos projetos sociais ou às pressões institucionais?

This is a study concerning in the structure of non governmental organizations, based on the institutional theory. It aims to understand the relation among structure, social projects and environmental influences, analyzing if there is coherence with project social or expresses adaptation to the institutional pressures of the environment. It introduces as theoretical support for the themes, studies about institutional theory and social structure. The research is descriptive and exploratory; it also applies to a study of case, based on the technical procedures. From the research universe, that was compound by non governmental organizations from Natal, RN, Brasil, it was chosen the Casa Renascer, a non governmental organization that works with the combat to the violence and sexual exploration of children and teenagers. The data collection process employed includes documental research, observations and semi structured research devices, guided by the organizational process proposed by Serva (1996) and by the institutional theory. The collected data were qualitatively treated. The analysis was divided into three parts, following the research matters. The social project characterization demonstrated that the organization went by three main phases. The first one, characterized by focus in women and girls education and health; the second shows the emphasis on girls in social risk situation, with preventive approach; and the last one, characterized by victims assistance of violence and sexual exploration. From the analysis using the institutional theory mechanisms, the results showed that exists coherence between structure and environmental influences, but a weak coherence between structure and social projects. It indicates as main determinant of the structure, an aspect forgotten by the institutional theory, the power. It was observed the presence from normative, coercive and mimetic mechanisms, highlighting normative influences

Flores de energia: a experiência do NEMA - Núcleo de Educação e Monitoramento Ambiental na constituição de intelectuais orgânicos

Este estudo visa compreender a experiência do NEMA – Núcleo de Educação e Monitoramento Ambiental na constituição de intelectuais orgânicos. A pesquisa busca identificar por meio de relatos das pessoas que formaram e formam o NEMA, bem como da trajetória que o Núcleo vem desenhando no cenário ambiental, como esse espaço constitui intelectuais orgânicos. O conceito de intelectuais orgânicos partiu de Antonio Gramsci (1882 – 1937), que desponta como um dos grandes teóricos da teoria social marxista. Para Gramsci o intelectual é mais do que uma pessoa das letras, ou um produtor e transmissor de ideias. Os intelectuais são também mediadores, legitimadores, e produtores de práticas sociais; eles cumprem uma função de natureza eminentemente política. Este aspecto interessa uma vez que o NEMA surgiu nesse movimento de resistir ao conhecimento e práticas sufocantes que constituem nossas práticas sociais. Intelectuais transformadores que aglutinam outros, a fim de romper com a opressão, fornecendo dessa forma a liderança da ética, da política e da pedagogia para a criticidade da realidade. A pesquisa com base qualitativa permitiu estabelecer os referenciais teóricos, a pesquisa em documentos e outras formas de informação e a apropriação da Análise Textual Discursiva – ATD para organizar o corpus por meio dos relatos de 30 pessoas que tiveram a experiência do NEMA. Os resultados possibilitam afirmar que os intelectuais orgânicos do NEMA se constituem em Ondas, isto é passam de uma reflexão sobre si mesmo – Quem eu sou?, estabelece uma relação de pertencimento com o lugar que atuam – O lugar onde vivemos, lidam com uma diversidade de pessoas, instituições e situações – Biodiversidade, estabelecem diálogos e se fazem representar em espaços de discussão – Biosfera e Ecologia e buscam a continuidade de suas ações por meio de novos projetos – Planejamento Ambiental. O estudo vislumbra que a experiência do NEMA contribua na vanguarda da construção dialógica do saber com os movimentos sociais para que estes saberes possam ser implementados na práxis destes movimentos, no fronte da relação natureza e sociedade.