Prevention of Pollution of the Marine Environment from Vessels : The Potential and Limits of the International Maritime Organisation

--Critically discusses the role of International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the protection of the marine environment --Presents a clear, updated, concise and critical overview of the IMO marine environmental legal instruments --A fresh outlook on the north-south tensions in the IMO marine environmental discourses --Critically examines the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in the context of IMO This book examines the role of The International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the prevention and control of pollution of the marine environment from vessels with a particular reference to the current north-south tensions regarding the strategy for combating climate change in the maritime sector as well as the prevention of marine pollution from the ship-breaking industry. The IMO, a United Nations specialized agency, has been entrusted with the duty to provide machinery for cooperation among governments for the prevention and control of pollution of the marine environment from vessels. The organization is responsible for drafting legal instruments as well as for facilitating technical cooperation for the protection of the marine environment. Although IMO legal instruments are mainly targeted at the prevention of pollution of the marine environment from vessels, there is a trend towards a liberal interpretation of this, and the organization has expanded its work to areas like shipbreaking, which is essentially a land-based industry.

Deriving a preference-based utility measure for cancer patients from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer's Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 : a confirmatory versus exploratory approach

Background Multi attribute utility instruments (MAUIs) are preference-based measures that comprise a health state classification system (HSCS) and a scoring algorithm that assigns a utility value to each health state in the HSCS. When developing a MAUI from a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire, first a HSCS must be derived. This typically involves selecting a subset of domains and items because HRQOL questionnaires typically have too many items to be amendable to the valuation task required to develop the scoring algorithm for a MAUI. Currently, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by Rasch analysis is recommended for deriving a MAUI from a HRQOL measure. Aim To determine whether confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is more appropriate and efficient than EFA to derive a HSCS from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer’s core HRQOL questionnaire, Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), given its well-established domain structure. Methods QLQ-C30 (Version 3) data were collected from 356 patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for recurrent/metastatic cancer (various primary sites). The dimensional structure of the QLQ-C30 was tested with EFA and CFA, the latter informed by the established QLQ-C30 structure and views of both patients and clinicians on which are the most relevant items. Dimensions determined by EFA or CFA were then subjected to Rasch analysis. Results CFA results generally supported the proposed QLQ-C30 structure (comparative fit index =0.99, Tucker–Lewis index =0.99, root mean square error of approximation =0.04). EFA revealed fewer factors and some items cross-loaded on multiple factors. Further assessment of dimensionality with Rasch analysis allowed better alignment of the EFA dimensions with those detected by CFA. Conclusion CFA was more appropriate and efficient than EFA in producing clinically interpretable results for the HSCS for a proposed new cancer-specific MAUI. Our findings suggest that CFA should be recommended generally when deriving a preference-based measure from a HRQOL measure that has an established domain structure.

Comparative studies made simple in GPFlow

This work describes recent extensions to the GPFlow scientific workflow system in development at MQUTeR (www.mquter.qut.edu.au), which facilitate interactive experimentation, automatic lifting of computations from single-case to collection-oriented computation and automatic correlation and synthesis of collections. A GPFlow workflow presents as an acyclic data flow graph, yet provides powerful iteration and collection formation capabilities.

Numerical studies on CFRP strengthened steel columns under transverse impact

Strengthening of metallic structures using carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) has become a smart strengthening option over the conventional strengthening method. Transverse impact loading due to accidental vehicular collision can lead to the failure of existing steel hollow tubular columns. However, knowledge is very limited on the behaviour of CFRP strengthened steel members under dynamic impact loading condition. This paper deals with the numerical simulation of CFRP strengthened square hollow section (SHS) steel columns under transverse impact loading to predict the behaviour and failure modes. The transverse impact loading is simulated using finite element (FE) analysis based on numerical approach. The accuracy of the FE modelling is ensured by comparing the predicted results with available experimental tests. The effects of impact velocity, impact mass, support condition, axial loading and CFRP thickness are examined through detail parametric study. The impact simulation results indicate that the strengthening technique shows an improved impact resistance capacity by reducing lateral displacement of the strengthened column about 58% compared to the bare steel column. Axial loading plays an important role on the failure behaviour of tubular column.

Geochemistry-based coral palaeoclimate studies and the potential of ‘non-traditional’ (non-massive Porites) corals : recent developments and future progression

Understanding the natural variability of the Earth's climate system and accurately identifying potential anthropogenic influences requires long term, geographically distributed records of key climate indicators, such as temperature and precipitation that extend prior to the last 400. years of the Holocene. Reef corals provide an excellent source of high resolution climate records, and importantly represent the tropical marine environment where palaeoclimate data are urgently required. Recent decades have seen significant improvement in our understanding of coral biomineralisation, the associated uptake of geochemical proxies and methods of identifying and understanding the effects of both early and late, post depositional diagenetic alteration. These processes all have significant implications for interpreting geochemical proxies relevant to palaeoclimatic reconstructions. This paper reviews the current 'state of the art' in terms of coral based palaeoclimate reconstructions and highlights a key remaining problem. The majority of coral based palaeoclimate research has been derived from massive colonies of Porites. However, massive Porites are not globally abundant and may not provide material of a particular age of interest in those regions where they are present. Therefore, there is great potential for alternate coral genera to act as complimentary climate archives. While it remains critical to consider five key factors - vital effects, differential growth morphologies, geochemical heterogeneity in the skeletal ultrastructure, transfer equation selection and diagenetic screening of skeletal material - in order to allow the highest level of accuracy in coral palaeoclimate reconstructions, it is also important to develop alternate taxa for palaeoclimate studies in regions where Porites colonies are absent or rare. Currently as many as nine genera other than Porites have proven at least limited utility in palaeothermometry, most of which are found in the Atlantic/Caribbean region where massive Porites do not exist. Even branching taxa such as Acropora have significant potential to preserve environmental archives. Increasing this capability will greatly expand the number of potential geochemical archives available for longer term temporal records of palaeoclimate.

Introduction : studying Indonesian media worlds at the intersections of area and cultural studies

When preparing this special issue,1 our discussions with the editorial board of the International Journal of Cultural Studies (IJCS) included a moment of simultaneous surprise and reflection, which we would like to use as a starting point for our introduction to the articles appearing here. This occurred during communications about the number and length of the articles required for a special issue. The board’s representative stipulated that a specific number of articles were to be written by Indonesian scholars. The request surprised us. We had neither discussed nor anticipated ethnic or national quotas for authorial participation. But although the request caught us off guard it also stimulated us to think about the two disciplinary terrains traversed in the articles to follow.

Observing privacy, modesty and hospitality in the home domain : three case studies of Muslim homes in Brisbane, Australia

A home embodies a sensorial space that is layered with personal memories and traces of history. The success of a home in providing a strong sense of place depends on various factors such as geographical location, climatic conditions, and occupants’ world-views and perceptions. This paper explores Muslims’ perceptions of privacy, modesty and hospitality within their homes through their lived experiences. This case study focuses on three Muslim families living in Australian designed homes within the same suburb of Brisbane, Australia. The study provides prefatory insight into the ways in which these families perform their daily activities and entertain their guests without jeopardizing their privacy needs. The study examines the significance of modesty in the design of Muslim homes as a means by which family members are able to achieve optimum privacy while simultaneously extending hospitality to guests inside and outside their homes. The findings of this study provide opportunities too, for expanding research into culturally adaptable housing systems to help meet the changing needs of Australian multicultural society.

A framework for people capability enhancement to support sustainable facility management practices

Spanning over a considerable length of time, facility management is a key phase in the development cycle of built assets. Therefore facility managers are in a commanding position to maximise the potential of sustainability through the operation, maintenance and upgrade of built facilities leading to decommission and deconstruction. Sustainability endeavours in facility management practices will not only contribute to reducing energy consumption, waste and running costs, but also help improve organisational productivity, financial returns and community standing of the organisation. At the forefront facing sustainability challenge, facility manager should be empowered with the necessary knowledge and capabilities. However, literature studies show a gap between the current level of awareness and the specific knowledge and necessary skills required to pursue sustainability in the profession. People capability is considered as the key enabler in managing the sustainability agenda as well as being central to the improvement of competency and innovation in an organization. This paper aims to identify the critical factors for enhancing people capabilities in promoting the sustainability agenda in facility management practices. Starting with a total of 60 factors identified through literature review, the authors conducted a questionnaire survey to assess the perceived importance of these factors. The findings reveal 23 critical factors as significantly important. They form the basis of a mechanism framework developed to equip facility managers with the right knowledge, to continue education and training and to develop new mind-sets to enhance the implementation of sustainability measures in FM practices.

Development of an online role-play assessment initiative for nursing students in their bioscience studies

Devising assessment tasks for large units that embrace academic goals of authenticity and assessment variety can be a challenge. We developed an online Role-Play Assessment Initiative for first year nursing students in bioscience. Students responded to a case study by preparing two role-play dialogues: as a nurse with the patient, and between two nurses. The aims were to assess whether the students could: 1) understand the underlying disease process (pathophysiology) and relate it to clinical practice; 2) use language appropriate for lay and medical conversation; and 3) apply information using active learning. We conducted a student survey using quantitative questions (Likert scale: 1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree), and qualitative questions. 65 completed surveys were received. 80% of respondents agreed (includes agree or strongly agree) that it was a useful way to learn and understand pathophysiology of the case study. 86% agreed that it was useful to apply pathophysiology from lectures to a clinical setting. Overall, students found it enjoyable, which is beneficial for enhanced student engagement, and agreed that it allowed them to work well in a group (74% and 85%, respectively). Most qualitative suggestions for improvement related to group work, despite the encouraging response to group work in quantitative questions. Most positive comments surrounded different communication with a nurse compared with a patient. These results demonstrate that students developed deeper understanding of pathophysiology through active learning and were able to expand their nursing career skills during the role-play. Learning using role-play to simulate the workforce has fostered active learning.

Management accounting change in a subsidiary organisation

Parent–subsidiary relationships are commonplace nowadays, yet surprisingly there is a paucity of research analysing their dynamics over time. This paper presents a (longitudinal) case study, illuminating the dynamics implicated when a UK chemicals company imposed its systems and rules on a new subsidiary. Drawing on observations from a longitudinal case study (from 1993 to 2001), the study considers: (1) the extent to which a parent imposes its (management accounting) systems,rules and procedures on a subsidiary; (2) the role which (local) political, cultural and institutional factors in a subsidiary play in shaping the dynamics of such change implementation; (3) how new systems and practices become accepted and take root as values and beliefs and how they supplement earlier norms? The study provides insight for the questions above, and draws on institutional theories and a power mobilisation framework to assist in the interpretation of observations. We find that the operations of the subsidiary company are influenced by inter-related forces, both inside and outside the organisation encompassing issues of power, politics and culture. As such, existing institutions in a subsidiary organisation are influenced, sustained, and changed by the socio-economic context in which the subsidiary is located. Organisational practices designed to secure external legitimacy are not however always symbolic and decoupled from internal operations

Government grants - an abrogation or management of risks?

New public management (NPFM), with its hands-on, private sector-style performance measurement, output control, parsimonious use of resources, disaggreation of public sector units and greater competition in the public sector, has significantly affected charitable and nonprofit organisations delivering community services (Hood, 1991; Dunleavy, 1994; George & Wilding, 2002). The literature indicates that nonprofit organisations under NPM believe they are doing more for less: while administration is increasing, core costs are not being met; their dependence on government funding comes at the expense of other funding strategies; and there are concerns about proportionality and power asymmetries in the relationship (Kerr & Savelsberg, 2001; Powell & Dalton, 2011; Smith, 2002, p. 175; Morris, 1999, 2000a). Government agencies are under increased pressure to do more with less, demonstrate value for money, measure social outcomes, not merely outputs and minimise political risk (Grant, 2008; McGreogor-Lowndes, 2008). Government-community service organisation relationships are often viewed as 'uneasy alliances' characterised by the pressures that come with the parties' differing roles and expectations and the pressures that come with the parties' differing roles and expectations and the pressurs of funding and security (Productivity Commission, 2010, p. 308; McGregor-Lowndes, 2008, p. 45; Morris, 200a). Significant community services are now delivered to citizens through such relationships, often to the most disadvantaged in the community, and it is important for this to be achieved with equity, efficiently and effectively. On one level, the welfare state was seen as a 'risk management system' for the poor, with the state mitigating the risks of sickness, job loss and old age (Giddens, 1999) with the subsequent neoliberalist outlook shifting this risk back to households (Hacker, 2006). At the core of this risk shift are written contracts. Vincent-Jones (1999,2006) has mapped how NPM is characterised by the use of written contracts for all manner of relations; e.g., relgulation of dealings between government agencies, between individual citizens and the state, and the creation of quais-markets of service providers and infrastructure partners. We take this lens of contracts to examine where risk falls in relation to the outsourcing of community services. First we examine the concept of risk. We consider how risk might be managed and apportioned between governments and community serivce organisations (CSOs) in grant agreements, which are quasiy-market transactions at best. This is informed by insights from the law and economics literature. Then, standard grant agreements covering several years in two jurisdictions - Australia and the United Kingdom - are analysed, to establish the risk allocation between government and CSOs. This is placed in the context of the reform agenda in both jurisdictions. In Australia this context is th enonprofit reforms built around the creation of a national charities regulator, and red tape reduction. In the United Kingdom, the backdrop is the THird Way agenda with its compacts, succeed by Big Society in a climate of austerity. These 'case studies' inform a discussion about who is best placed to bear and manage the risks of community service provision on behalf of government. We conclude by identifying the lessons to be learned from our analysis and possible pathways for further scholarship.

Nonprofit Service Delivery for Government : Accountability Relationships and Mechanisms

When government purchases social services under contract from a nonprofit organisation, a clear accountability relationship is created. The NPO must give an account for the use of the funds and achievement of outcomes to the funder. This paper explores how accountability is enacted in two different types of funding relationships in Queensland. Support is found for the argument that different relationships have different approaches to accountability.

Patterns of boardroom discussions around the accountability process in a nonprofit organisation

This chapter sets out to identify patterns at play in boardroom discussions around the design and adoption of an accountability system in a nonprofit organisation. To this end, it contributes to the scarce literature showing the backstage of management accounting systems (Berry, 2005), investment policy determining (Kreander, Beattie & McPhail, 2009; Kreander, McPhail & Molyneaux, 2004) and financial planning strategizing (Parker, 2004) or budgeting (Irvine 2005). The paucity of publications is due to issues raised by confidentiality preventing attendance at those meetings (Irvine, 2003), Irvine & Gaffikin, 2006). However, often, the implementation of a new control technology occurs over a long period of time that might exceed the duration of a research project (Quattrone & Hopper, 2001, 2005). Recent trends consisting of having research funded by grants from private institutions or charities have tended to reduce the length of such undertakings to a few months or rarely more than a couple of years (Parker, 2013);

University life and Australian homes : three case studies of international Muslim students in Brisbane

Despite a significant increase in enrolments of postgraduate international Muslim students within Australian universities, little is known about their perceptions of life within Australian homes while undertaking their studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the ways in which students’ cultural and religious traditions affect their use of domestic spaces within the homes in which they reside. The research found that participants faced some minor difficulties in achieving privacy, maintaining modesty and extending hospitality while able to perform their daily activities in Australian designed homes. The findings suggest that greater research attention needs to be given to the development of Australian home designs that are adaptable to the needs of a multicultural society. Australian society encompasses diverse cultural customs and requirements with respect to home design, and these are yet to be explored.