A network approach to overcoming barriers to market engagement for SMEs in energy efficiency initiatives such as the Green Deal

The Green Deal (GD) was launched in 2013 by the UK Government as a market-led scheme to encourage uptake of energy efficiency measures in the UK and create green sector jobs. The scheme closed in July 2015 after 30 months due to government concerns over low uptake and industry standards but additional factors potentially contributed to its failure such as poor scheme design and lack of understanding of the customer and supply chain journey. We explore the role of key delivery agents of GD services, specifically SMEs, and we use the LoCal-Net project as a case study to examine the use of networks to identify and reduce barriers to SME market engagement. We find that SMEs experienced multiple barriers to interaction with the GD such as lack of access to information, training, and confusion over delivery of the scheme but benefited from interaction with the network to access information, improve understanding of the scheme, increasing networking opportunities and forming new business models and partnerships to reduce risk. The importance of SMEs as delivery agents and their role in the design of market-led schemes such as the GD are discussed with recommendations for improving SME engagement in green sector initiatives.

O processo de urbanização de Mossorò: dos processos históricos à estrutura urbana atual

The general objective of this academic work is to analyze the relationship between the territorial division and the urban expansion process of Mossoró city, understood here as the production and occupation of space. The urban expansion in Mossoró, since its formation as settlement in 1772 until current days, identifies with the Brazilian urbanization process whose growth is determined by the capitalist development. Thus, the expansion was determined by several economical specializations imposed by the territorial division of work which occurs at an interregional level, and, sometimes at an international level. Then, each specialization determined a moment of the urban expansion of the city, as follows: a) The cattle farmer specialization, between 1772 and 1857, when the urban expansion was shy, is summarized to a commercial square that received goods from Aracati aiming to cover a wide rural area; b) The commercial emporium specialization, between 1857 and 1930, when the urban expansion took an important impulse with the concentration of public and private capitals; c) The salt industry and the agricultural-industrial exporter specialization inside a state of development policy, between 1930 and 1970, when the urban expansion, joined to the settlement of the working class in the urban soil, developed along an important axis -the railway; d) The render of services specialization inside a state of intervention policy, between 1970 and 1990, when the urban expansion was characterized by the accelerated growth rhythm, by the reuse of some spaces, and by space segregation of demanding people; e) The render of services policy inside a neoliberal state policy, since 1990 until current days, when the urban expansion reduced its rhythm abruptly, when only small alterations occurred in the existing spaces. It focused on social policies and on several slums eradication programs. Finally, the territorial structure is deeply articulated with others, no territorial, but economical, social and political, which happens at a national, regional and local rate. Only within a historical and conceptual panorama, it was possible to explain the urban expansion in Mossoró from its formation in 1772 until current days. Therefore, this work is a several discipline analysis of the urbanization process existing in Mossoró

Cooperação e competição entre políticas no Brasil: os custos da governabilidade no presidencialismo de coalizão

Public policies have been studied in the various fields of humanities and social sciences, from different theoretical and technical aspects. However, there is still a lack of studies that incorporate the dimension that encompasses the political action and its interference in such actions, also recognizing the importance of the institutional setting of the Brazilian presidential model in implementing these policies. This fragmented and multiparty system has led to power heterogeneous sets of political parties. Thus, the ministerial offices, more than assisting the President´s government project, manage particularized agendas, which are party biased and have the influence of interest groups in hegemonic themes addressed by government agencies. When these agendas operate in sectoral and specialized policies, the friction level is apparently low. However, when this occurs in intersectoral actions, such as in regional development, there is evidence of strong signs of competition among government agencies, which in theory, should operate in an integrated manner. Although this is not a specific feature of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva´s government- the period to be studied- there was similar behavior in Fernando Henrique Cardoso´s presidency, one realizes that the expansion of coalition on behalf of governance is increasingly interfering in the outcome of intersectoral public policies, due to these multiple arguments in action. In order to understand these processes, this study focused on the Sustainable and Integrated Development Programme for Differentiated Meso-Regions (PROMESO), part of the National Policy for Regional Development (NPRD). The program provides interface with various government agencies and their public policies in a clear intersectoral design. The research sought to identify and analyze the relationships between government agencies and their programs with interest groups, whether political parties or other segments of civil society, highlighting the logic of favoritism, which poses in second place the integration of actions in the intersectoral policies. Therefore, besides the theoretical debate that incorporates several categories of political science, public administration, public policy, geography and economics, the study focused on secondary sources, using different government agencies databases in order to raise information. It was observed that the interference of partisan politics has been disastrous for some public policies. Thus, the research confirms that cooperative character is fragile within government agencies, often limited to official documents, and that there is indeed, a striking feature of competition, especially when it comes to transversalized policies

Relatos biográficos de professores/educadores de adultos: a ação das coordenações concelhias no âmbito do plano integrado de desenvolvimento regional (PIDR) do nordeste algarvio

Esta investigação é centrada nos discursos produzidos por oito professoras que atribuíram sentidos à sua vida e contribuíram para construção de conhecimento sobre a educação de adultos, no contexto do projeto integrado de desenvolvimento regional do nordeste algarvio, na década de 80. Os relatos biográficos revelaram formas e sentidos múltiplos sobre as várias transições biográficas em que as professoras construíram novas identidades de aprendizagem, integraram novos saberes e viveram diferentes contextos de interação humana. A investigação também permitiu caracterizar as diferentes experiências e práticas educativas no campo da educação de adultos. Decorrente das conclusões, damos o nosso contributo através de uma proposta que consideramos estratégica para a reconfiguração e revalorização de uma educação de adultos de raiz humanista e democrática, para todas as pessoas, por forma a provocar a mudança na sociedade em que todos devem ser sujeitos ativos e comprometidos com a transformação social; ABSTRACT: Biographical Accounts of Teachers I Adult Educators This investigation is focused on the discourses produced by eight teachers who gave meanings to their lives and contributed to the building of knowledge on adult education, within the project of regional development of the northeast Algarve, during the 80s of the XX century. Their biographical accounts revealed the multiple senses on the various biographical transitions in which teachers built new learning identities, integrated new knowledge and lived different contexts of human interaction. This research also allowed to characterize the different experiences and educational practices in the field of adult education. As a consequence of the conclusions, we built a strategic proposal towards the reshaping and revaluing of adult education. This is a proposal to achieve a concept of democratic adult education inspired in the humanist paradigm, which tries to foster societal change, in which all should be active citizens engaged with social transformation processes.

Gestão colegiada da cadeia produtiva da cajucultura: o papel do comitê gestor no Rio Grande do Norte à luz do desenvolvimento regional sustentável

The theme of this dissertation is the collegiate management in the cashew cultivation s productive chain by the reading of the Managerial Committee s role in accordance with Sustainable Regional Development. The research had as aim to reveal the way as Managerial Committee s members of cashew cultivation s productive chain interpret the economic, social and environmental dimensions to the sustainability of entrepreneurships, using as interpretative base Sachs (2004) theoretical model. The theoretical reference is based in precepts of Solidarity Economy as a strategy to the Sustainable Regional Development. To reach this aim was done a case study, based in analysis of contents and semi-structured interviews with the solidarities economic entrepreneurships that integrate the Committee and with the group of Entities of Support and Fomentation responsible for formulating and conducting actions in favour of development of the chain. The research permitted to conclude that the economic, mainly, and social dimension, secondly, to super-impose the environmental dimension. The actions in favour of the chain are yet restricted and with low effectiveness when interpreted, in an integrated way, by a side, by the informers of this research and, by another side, in accordance with precepts of sustainable development

Agricultura en el Oriente antioqueño, transformación rural contemporánea; para el desarrollo local y regional: estudio de caso empresarial

El estudio de la experiencia empresarial en el presente documento pretende visualizar un modelo de negocio implementado en el oriente antioqueño como es Transforma-Oriente que busca integrar a los agricultores con un enfoque diferente de modelo agrario, con un equilibrio entre la competitividad y la cohesión, entre la modernidad y solidaridad, entre la sociedad y los territorios; para salvaguardar la actividad agrícola y la economía campesina, así como el manejo integral de los recursos naturales involucrados en esta actividad económica, mediante estrategias de planificación participativa institucional y comunitaria -- Transforma-oriente se fundó en el año 2015 y tiene su sede en Rionegro; municipio importante por su centralidad y dinámica de desarrollo -- Pretende integrar los diferentes actores del territorio para reactivar las actividades y vocación agrícola, como un tema de mercado justo y oportunidad de desarrollo regional -- Los resultados descritos aquí indican la poca gestión y falta de procesos articulados para permitir una transformación contemporánea desde la ruralidad con su principal actividad económica que es la agricultura -- Como conclusión, se evidencia que Transforma - Oriente es una organización que asumió una problemática social con unas estrategias y propuestas pertinentes de desarrollo teniendo en cuenta la exigencia y dinámica actual del mercado

THE INFLUENCE OF URBAN FORM AT DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL SCALES ON TRAVEL BEHAVIOR; EVIDENCE FROM U.S. CITIES

Suburban lifestyle is popular among American families, although it has been criticized for encouraging automobile use through longer commutes, causing heavy traffic congestion, and destroying open spaces (Handy, 2005). It is a serious concern that people living in low-density suburban areas suffer from high automobile dependency and lower rates of daily physical activity, both of which result in social, environmental and health-related costs. In response to such concerns, researchers have investigated the inter-relationships between urban land-use pattern and travel behavior within the last few decades and suggested that land-use planning can play a significant role in changing travel behavior in the long-term. However, debates regarding the magnitude and efficiency of the effects of land-use on travel patterns have been contentious over the years. Changes in built-environment patterns is potentially considered a long-term panacea for automobile dependency and traffic congestion, despite some researchers arguing that the effects of land-use on travel behavior are minor, if any. It is still not clear why the estimated impact is different in urban areas and how effective a proposed land-use change/policy is in changing certain travel behavior. This knowledge gap has made it difficult for decision-makers to evaluate land-use plans and policies. In addition, little is known about the influence of the large-scale built environment. In the present dissertation, advanced spatial-statistical tools have been employed to better understand and analyze these impacts at different scales, along with analyzing transit-oriented development policy at both small and large scales. The objective of this research is to: (1) develop scalable and consistent measures of the overall physical form of metropolitan areas; (2) re-examine the effects of built-environment factors at different hierarchical scales on travel behavior, and, in particular, on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and car ownership; and (3) investigate the effects of transit-oriented development on travel behavior. The findings show that changes in built-environment at both local and regional levels could be very influential in changing travel behavior. Specifically, the promotion of compact, mixed-use built environment with well-connected street networks reduces VMT and car ownership, resulting in less traffic congestion, air pollution, and energy consumption.

(N)um lugar ao sol: contributos do turismo para as dinâmicas criativas e para a atração da classe criativa no Algarve

Tese de Doutoramento, Turismo, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

O processo de urbanização de Mossorò: dos processos históricos à estrutura urbana atual

The general objective of this academic work is to analyze the relationship between the territorial division and the urban expansion process of Mossoró city, understood here as the production and occupation of space. The urban expansion in Mossoró, since its formation as settlement in 1772 until current days, identifies with the Brazilian urbanization process whose growth is determined by the capitalist development. Thus, the expansion was determined by several economical specializations imposed by the territorial division of work which occurs at an interregional level, and, sometimes at an international level. Then, each specialization determined a moment of the urban expansion of the city, as follows: a) The cattle farmer specialization, between 1772 and 1857, when the urban expansion was shy, is summarized to a commercial square that received goods from Aracati aiming to cover a wide rural area; b) The commercial emporium specialization, between 1857 and 1930, when the urban expansion took an important impulse with the concentration of public and private capitals; c) The salt industry and the agricultural-industrial exporter specialization inside a state of development policy, between 1930 and 1970, when the urban expansion, joined to the settlement of the working class in the urban soil, developed along an important axis -the railway; d) The render of services specialization inside a state of intervention policy, between 1970 and 1990, when the urban expansion was characterized by the accelerated growth rhythm, by the reuse of some spaces, and by space segregation of demanding people; e) The render of services policy inside a neoliberal state policy, since 1990 until current days, when the urban expansion reduced its rhythm abruptly, when only small alterations occurred in the existing spaces. It focused on social policies and on several slums eradication programs. Finally, the territorial structure is deeply articulated with others, no territorial, but economical, social and political, which happens at a national, regional and local rate. Only within a historical and conceptual panorama, it was possible to explain the urban expansion in Mossoró from its formation in 1772 until current days. Therefore, this work is a several discipline analysis of the urbanization process existing in Mossoró

The legitimation of development and GM crops: The case of Bt Cotton and Indebtedness in Telangana, India

This study explores the relation between Bt cotton adoption and farmer suicides in India. This is undertaken through comparing the debt levels of Bt cotton cultivators with those adopting alternative organic and Non-Pesticide Management (NPM) methods. The study involves a total of 26 participants in three villages in Telangana, India. It argues that measures of indebtedness need to be adopted as part of assessments of both Bt cotton and development policy.

Innovation and Territorial Development: An Analysis of the Region of São José dos Campos - Brazil

This study aimed to identify and analyze the interrelations between companies, research centers, universities, government and other relevant players in the micro region of São José dos Campos, focusing on the creation and diffusion of innovations as a strategy for regional development. To this end, we made an interview with 12 regional players Involved in this process. It is hoped the results expand the knowledge of regional development in technologyoriented areas, as well as the dynamics of territorial development in the micro region studied. It is an academic contribution in developing strategies for expanding competitive regions through incentives for innovation and technology transfer.

Emprendimiento, instituciones y construcción de paz – Análisis de Influencia de Stakeholders en los departamentos de Nariño y Cauca

Nariño y Cauca son dos de los departamentos de Colombia más afectados por la violencia. La reciente firma de un acuerdo de un cese bilateral de hostilidades con las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) y los diálogos de La Habana son apenas el comienzo de la Construcción de Paz (CP) que implica el esfuerzo continuo de diferentes actores (gubernamentales, sector privado, sociedad civil y organismos multilaterales) para lograr no solo una paz negativa sino una paz positiva. El apoyo al emprendimiento es una estrategia implementada por el Gobierno y por los stakeholders que participan en el proceso del posconflicto, que tiene como finalidad respaldar el proceso de integración económica de las víctimas y desmovilizados. El presente documento es un estudio exploratorio elaborado por medio de una investigación cualitativa en la temática de emprendimiento, instituciones y CP en los departamentos de Nariño y Cauca. Se utilizó una estrategia metodológica denominada Matrices de Stakeholders para representar gráficamente la influencia institucional sobre la toma decisiones e implementación de los stakeholders sobre las reformas o políticas de emprendimiento y CP en estos dos departamentos. En esta investigación se encontró que i) en general, las instituciones del gobierno de los de Nariño y Cauca son extractivas y limitan la participación de la sociedad; ii) los stakeholders de la sociedad civil a pesar de tener cierta organización y voz no están en capacidad de generar influencia más que a nivel local o comunitario; iii) los vacíos dejados por las instituciones extractivas del gobierno tienden a ser llenados por instituciones inclusivas de stakeholders del sector privado y de organismos multilaterales.

Análisis de la estrategia de política exterior del Desarrollo Pacífico china en la construcción de su identidad dentro del grupo BRICS (2003-2014)

El interés de esta monografía es interpretar la manera en la que un Estado tiene la capacidad para transformar su identidad y proyectarla satisfactoriamente hacia otros actores. En el caso de China, esto sucede gracias a su estrategia de política exterior conocida como Desarrollo Pacífico, la cual forma parte de su relación con los miembros del grupo BRICS y ha ayudado a consolidar una tendencia hacia la cooperación. Para poder realizar una buena interpretación de la construcción de identidad china dentro del foro internacional BRICS es primordial realizar un acercamiento teórico constructivista que permite un entendimiento del proceso histórico que le ha permitido a China configurar su identidad en el marco de los BRICS, a partir de un proceso constante de interacción e identificación.

La implementación de la trayectoria de desarrollo sostenible por parte de los pequeños estados insulares en desarrollo del Pacífico frente a su condición de vulnerabilidad

La investigación busca determinar el propósito que persiguen los pequeños Estados insulares en desarrollo del Pacífico al adoptar una trayectoria de desarrollo sostenible. Se plantea que la adopción de una trayectoria de desarrollo sostenible es la estrategia por medio de la cual estos Estados buscan hacer frente a su condición de vulnerabilidad; lo cual logran a través del uso de la diplomacia en distintos escenarios multilaterales, con el fin de modificar tanto sus prácticas como las de otros actores.

Unlocking the Potential of Women in the Rural Development Process of Republic of Srpska: The Role of Extension Service

In Bosnia Herzegovina the development of clear policy objectives and endorsement of a long-term, coherent and mutual agricultural and rural development policy have also been affected by structural problems: a lack of reliable information on population and other relevant issues, the absence of an adequate land registry system and cadastre. Moreover in BiH the agricultural and rural sectors are characterized by many factors that have typically affected transition countries such as land fragmentation, lack of agricultural mechanization and outdated production technologies, and rural aging, high unemployment and out-migration. In such a framework the condition and role of women in rural areas suffered for the lack of gender disaggregated data and a consequent poor information that lead to the exclusion of gender related questions in the agenda of public institutions and to the absence of targeted policy interventions. The aim of the research is to investigate the role and condition of women in the rural development process of Republic of Srpska and to analyze the capacity of extension services to stimulate their empowerment. Specific research questions include the status of women in the rural areas of Republic of Srpska, the role of government in fostering the empowerment of rural women, and the role of the extension service in supporting rural women. The methodology - inspired by the case study method developed by R. Yin - is designed along the three specific research questions that are used as building blocks. Each of the three research questions is investigated with a combination of methodological tools - including surveys, experts interviews and focus groups - aimed to overcome the lack of data and knowledge that characterize the research objectives.