Audit report on the Iowa Egg Council for the years ended June 30, 2007 and 2006

Audit report on the Iowa Egg Council for the years ended June 30, 2007 and 2006

Active civic participation of immigrants in Portugal

Portugal’s historical past strongly influences the composition of the country’s immigrant population. The main third-country foreign nationals in Portugal originate traditionally from Portuguese-speaking African countries (namely Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea Bissau, and S. Tomé e Príncipe) and Brazil. In 2001, a newly created immigrant status entitled “permanence” authorization uncovered a quantitative and a qualitative change in the structure of immigrant population in Portugal. First, there was a quantitative jump from 223.602 foreigners in 2001 to 364.203 regularized foreigners in 2003. Secondly, there was a substantial qualitative shift in the composition of immigrants. The majority of the new immigrants began coming from Eastern European countries, such as Ukraine, Moldavia, Romania, and the Russian Federation. Thus, European countries outside the E.U. zone now rank second (after African countries) in their contribution of individuals to the stocks of immigrant population in Portugal. The differences between the new and traditional immigration flows are visible in the geographical distribution of immigrants and in their insertion into the labour market. While the traditional flows would congregate around the metropolitan area of Lisbon and in the Algarve, the new migratory flows tend to be more geographically dispersed and present in less urbanized areas of Portugal. In terms of insertion in the labour market, although the construction sector is still the most important industry for immigrant labour, Eastern European workers may also be found in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The institutional conditions that encourage immigrants’ civic participation are divided at three different levels: the state, the local, and the civil society levels. At the state level, the High Commissioner for Migrations and Ethnic Minorities is the main organizational structure along with a set of interrelated initiatives operating under specific regulatory frameworks, which act as mediators between state officials and the Portuguese civil society, and more specifically, immigrant communities. At the local level, some municipalities created consultative councils and municipal departments aiming at encouraging the participation and representation of interests from immigrant groups and association in local policies. In the civil society sphere, the main actors in Portugal spurring immigrants civic participation are immigrant associations, mainstream associations directed toward immigration topics, and unions. The legal conditions framing immigrants’ access to social housing, education, health, and social security in Portugal are also considered to be positive. Conditions restricting immigrants’ civic participation are mainly normative and include the Portuguese nationality law, the regulations shaping the political participation of immigrants, namely in what concerns their right to vote, and employment regulations restricting immigrants’ access to public administration positions. Part II of the report focuses on the active civic participation of third country immigrants. First, reasons for the lack of research on this issue in Portugal are explained. On the one hand, the recent immigration history and the more urgent needs regarding school and economic integration kept this issue out of the research spotlight. On the other hand, it was just in the beginning of the 1990s that immigrants took the very first steps toward collective mobilisation. Secondly, the literature review of Portuguese bibliography covers research on third country immigrants’ associative movement, research on local authorities’ policies and discussion about ethnic politics and political mobilisation of immigrants in Portugal. As political mobilisation of these groups has been made mainly through ethnic and/or migrant organisations, a brief history of immigrants' associative movement is given. Immigrant associations develop multiple roles, covering the social, the cultural, the economic and the political domains. Political claiming for the regularisation of illegal immigrants has been a permanent and important field of intervention since the mid-1990s. Research results reveal the com5 plex relations between ethnic mobilisation and the set of legal and institutional frameworks developed by local and national governmental authorities targeted to the incorporation of minority groups. Case studies on the Oeiras district and on the Amadora district are then presented. Conclusions underline that the most active immigrant groups are those from Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau, since these groups have constituted a higher number of ethnic associations, give priority to political claiming and present a more politicised discourse. Reflecting on the future of research on civic participation of third country immigrants in Portugal, the authors state that it would be interesting and relevant to compare the Portuguese situation with those of other European countries, with an older immigration history, and analyse how the Portuguese immigrants’ associative movement will be affected by a changing legal framework and the emergence of new opportunities within the set of structures regarding the political participation of minority groups.

"As you receive with one hand, so should you give with the other": the mutual-help practices of Cape Verdeans on the Lisbon periphery”

Rural Cape Verdeans employ a number of mutual-help practices to mitigate the uncertainties surrounding activities fundamental to their subsistence. One of these practices is djunta mon (‘to work together’), a loosely planned, non-monetized system of allocating labor at peak intervals during the growing season. By means of djunta mon, neighbors or family members work in each other’s fields until the tasks of every landowning participant are complete. Alongside djunta mon in rural Cape Verde exist a number of other non-remunerated mutual-help practices, such as djuda mutua (‘mutual help’) and laja kaza (‘to add concrete to one’s house’). While less visible than djunta mon, they are nonetheless important in completing tasks essential to rural life in the islands. In this thesis, I will attempt to show how Cape Verdean immigrants in Lisbon have adapted the mutual-help practices of rural Cape Verde to a new, transnational context. The iterations of these practices in Lisbon differ from their rural counterparts in that they involve fewer people, occur on a year-round basis, and are concerned primarily with domestic work. They also help people find employment, access childcare, secure interest-free credit, and construct or repair houses. I will argue that extensive mutual-help ties ensure Cape Verdean migrants in Lisbon a sufficient pool of family and friends upon which they can rely for support and assistance. An additional element I will explore is the perception among Cape Verdean immigrants that these mutual-help practices seem to be occurring with less frequency. While this shift is in part due to the availability of other means of support, I will contend that the changing attitude of Cape Verdeans towards mutual help is also due to their encountering neoliberal notions of ‘self-accountability.’ Thus, Cape Verdeans perceive that their mutual-help practices are in decline, while simultaneously needing the material support that they provide.

Report on the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (Council) for the period October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2007

Report on the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (Council) for the period October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2007

Report on the Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2007

Report on the Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2007

Audit report on the Iowa Turkey Marketing Council for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006

Audit report on the Iowa Turkey Marketing Council for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006

Metodologia Caso como Instrumento de Controlo Interno numa Autarquia: Estudo de Caso Desenvolvido na Câmara Municipal do Tarrafal de São Nicolau

As entidades públicas ou privadas por reunirem condições de criar emprego e garantir o bem-estar de todos, já constituem por si só uma força motora do desenvolvimento de uma sociedade. Sendo assim elas devem ser bem administradas, tendo como parâmetro os mecanismos do Controlo Interno. O controlo interno é entendido como sendo um plano de uma organização e um conjunto de processos, constituídos de sistemas, métodos e regras específicas, adotadas pelas organizações de modo a proteger o seu património, atualmente aprimorado com o desenvolvimento das tecnologias de informação, atribuindo assim maior confiabilidade aos seus resultados. Assim sendo, este trabalho tem como objetivo procurar entender como pode ser implementado a metodologia COSO numa autarquia enquanto um instrumento de controlo interno de modo a contribuir na averiguação do controlo interno na gestão de riscos, tendo como base o framework teórico do COSO. Para isso realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória por meio de um estudo de caso. Foram analisados todos os procedimentos desenvolvidos pela Câmara Municipal para assim buscar soluções e melhorias para a execução de suas atividades. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas e de questionários buscando identificar as características de controlo da Câmara Municipal contemplando os cinco componentes básicos do COSO. A pesquisa foi baseada em bibliografias e documentos, como livros, relatórios e legislação sobre o tema. A partir das respostas obtidas constatou-se que o controlo interno da Câmara Municipal contempla no mínimo os cinco componentes do COSO II.

Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council Final Report 2008.

On April 27, 2007, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed Senate File 485, a bill related to greenhouse gas emissions. Part of this bill created the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council (ICCAC), which consists of 23 governor-appointed members from various stakeholder groups, and 4 nonvoting, ex officio members from the General Assembly. ICCAC’s immediate responsibilities included submitting a proposal to the Governor and General Assembly that addresses policies, cost-effective strategies, and multiple scenarios designed to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions. Further, a preliminary report was submitted in January 2008, with a final proposal submitted in December 2008. In the Final Report, the Council presents two scenarios designed to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and 90% from a 2005 baseline by the year 2050. For the 50% reduction by 2050, the Council recommends approximately a 1% reduction by 2012 and an 11% reduction by 2020. For the 90% reduction scenario, the Council recommends a 3% reduction by 2012 and a 22% reduction 2020. These interim targets were based on a simple extrapolation assuming a linear rate of reduction between now and 2050. In providing these scenarios for your consideration, ICCAC approved 56 policy options from a large number of possibilities. There are more than enough options to reach the interim and final emission targets in both the 50% and 90% reduction scenarios. Direct costs and cost savings of these policy options were also evaluated with the help of The Center for Climate Strategies, who facilitated the process and provided technical assistance throughout the entire process, and who developed the Iowa Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast in close consultation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and many Council and Sub-Committee members. About half of the policy options presented in this report will not only reduce GHG emissions but are highly cost-effective and will save Iowans money. Still other options may require significant investment but will create jobs, stimulate energy independence, and advance future regional or federal GHG programs.

Audit report on the Perry Municipal Waterworks, Perry, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2008

Audit report on the Perry Municipal Waterworks, Perry, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2008

Audit report on the Evansdale Municipal Water Works, Evansdale, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2008

Audit report on the Evansdale Municipal Water Works, Evansdale, Iowa for the year ended June 30, 2008

Audit report on the Iowa Egg Council for the year ended June 30, 2008

Audit report on the Iowa Egg Council for the year ended June 30, 2008

Diversity of Braconidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil

Braconidae is a highly diversified family of Hymenoptera and usually known by their role in biological control both in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Despite of that, little is known about its diversity in the Amazon region. The present work inventoried the braconid fauna of an Open Ombrophylous Forest with Palm Trees of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, RO. Insects were collect from June/2008 to May/2009 using six Malaise traps in different parts of the reserve. A total of 377 wasps were captured, 17 subfamilies and 56 genera identified. Braconinae, Microgastrinae, Doryctinae and Rogadinae subfamilies were very abundant, and also the genera Aleiodes, Bracon, Capitonius, Compsobracon, Heterospilus, Hymenochaonia, Opius, Pedinotus, Rogas and Stantonia. The calculated Shannon diversity index was 2.15 and 3.3 for subfamily and genera, respectively, which were, generally, higher than the values found for other regions in Brazil. Generally, parasitoids were more abundant during the rainy season. The present work contributes with new genera records and faunistic data of Braconidae in Rondonia State, western Amazon.

Cultura Organizacional – Caso da Câmara Municipal da Praia

O presente trabalho definiu como objectivo geral identificar a presença e o tipo de cultura organizacional no Serviço Público de Abastecimento do Município da Praia (SEPAMP), e como objectivos específicos, conhecer as motivações para a cultura organizacional implantada no SEPAMP e avaliar o seu impacto, busca também analisar a influência da cultura organizacional no relacionamento entre os funcionários. No estudo foram elaboradas duas hipóteses, a primeira é que o SEPAMP tem tendência para uma cultura de regras, que influencia positivamente no comportamento dos funcionários. E a segunda hipótese que há uma correspondência entre o comportamento dos funcionários do SEPAMP, e a cultura organizacional vigente naquele serviço. O Modelo Organizacional definido por Cunha et al., é a teoria que sustenta o presente estudo. O Modelo apresentado avalia os funcionários nas organizações, realça os diversos tipos de cultura organizacional que pode-se encontrar presentes nas organizações. E analisa os factores que condicionam para a existência de uma cultura forte ou fraca na organização. Na metodologia escolheu-se como técnica de recolha de dados, um inquérito por questionário aplicado a todos os funcionários disponíveis, dos diversos sectores de serviço do SEPAMP, que foram no total de 109, e de uma entrevista semi-estruturada realizada a todos os dirigentes do serviço, que corresponde a 4. Através da análise de dados constatou-se entre outras as seguintes conclusões: O SEPAMP tem tendência para uma cultura de regras que influencia positivamente no comportamento dos seus funcionários; constatou-se também que os funcionários da Câmara Municipal da Praia, não obstante não terem o conhecimento dos objectivos da organização, sentem-se confiantes, desempenhando sem quaisquer problemas as funções que lhes são atribuídos, cumprem, geralmente, as normas existentes no Município, e essas normas influenciam de modo positivo nos seus comportamentos. Conclui-se que há uma relação entre o comportamento dos funcionários do SEPAMP, e a cultura organizacional vigente no serviço.

Balanço Social nas Organizações: O caso da Câmara Municipal de São Domingos – Ano 2009,

O presente trabalho tem como tema o Balanço Social (B.S). Antes de mais, fizemos uma introdução ao tema, discorrendo sobre o problema a ser investigado e os objectivos a serem alcançados. Ao longo do documento apresentamos uma base teórica devagando a respeito do B.S. A pesquisa foi realizada na Câmara Municipal de São Domingos. Para a colecta de dados utilizamos como fonte de dados, a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Os resultados da pesquisa permitiram-nos verificar um conjunto de acções, políticas e valores da Instituição, o reconhecimento da importância das acções de responsabilidade social ao nível dos stakeholders, bem como a necessidade de torna-las públicas através do B.S. do investimento e aprimorando tais acções, visando a excelência. No final do trabalho, apresentamos as conclusões e as considerações finais a futuros estudos e pesquisas.