The future role of government in knowledge-based economies

In this article, we draw together aspects of contemporary theories of knowledge (particularly organisational knowledge) and complexity theory to demonstrate how appropriate conceptual rigor enables both the role of government and the directions of policy development in knowledge-based economies to be identified. Specifically we ask, what is the role of government in helping shape the knowledge society of the future? We argue that knowledge policy regimes must go beyond the modes of policy analysis currently used in innovation, information and technology policy because they are based in an industrial rather than post-industrial analytical framework. We also argue that if we are to develop knowledge-based economies, more encompassing images of the future than currently obtain in policy discourse are required. We therefore seek to stimulate and provoke an array of lines of thought about government and policy for such economies. Our objective is to focus on ideas more than argument and persuasion.

The devolution of indigenous local government authority in Queensland: Opportunities for statutory planning

Government policy change to self detennination over the past two decades has gradually given rise to various structures of Indigenous self government across Australia. Indigenous Local Government Authorities (LGAs) are the governing structure which receive the greatest devolution of State authority, especially those found in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Their statutory basis has developed over a relatively short period of time and is still very much evolving. This paper explores what opportunities exist for Indigenous LGAs to adopt statutory planning mechanisms.

Secondary structure of the third extracellular loop responsible for ligand selectivity of a mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor

The extracellular loop 3 (ECL3) of the mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) contains an acidic amino acid (Glu(301) in the mouse GnRH-R,) that confers agonist selectivity for Are in mammalian GnRH. It is proposed that a specific conformation of ECL3 is necessary to orientate the carboxyl side chain of the acidic residue for interaction with Arg(8) of GnRH, which is supported by decreased affinity for Arg(8) GnRH but not Gln(8) GnRH when an adjacent Pro is mutated to Ala. To probe the structural contribution of the loop domain to the proposed presentation of the carboxyl side chain, we synthesized a model peptide (CGPEMLNRVSEPGC) representing residues 293-302 of mouse ECL3, where Cys and Gly residues are added symmetrically at the N and C termini, respectively, allowing the introduction of a disulfide bridge to simulate the distances at which the ECL3 is tethered to the transmembrane domains 6 and 7 of the receptor. The ability of the ECL3 peptide to bind GnRH with low affinity was demonstrated by its inhibition of GnRH stimulation of inositol phosphate production in cells expressing the GnRH-R. The CD bands of the ECL3 peptides exhibited a superposition of predominantly unordered structure and partial contributions from beta-sheet structure. Likewise, the analysis of the amide I and amide III bands from micro-Raman and FT Raman experiments revealed mainly unordered conformations of the cyclic and of the linear peptide. NMR data demonstrated the presence of a beta-hairpin among an ensemble of largely disordered structures in the cyclic peptide. The location of the turn linking the two strands of the hairpin was assigned to the three central residues L-296, N-297, and R-298. A small population of structured species among an ensemble of predominantly random coil conformation suggests that the unliganded receptor represents a variety of structural conformers, some of which have the potential to make contacts with the ligand. We propose a mechanism of receptor activation whereby binding of the agonist to the inactive receptor state induces and stabilizes a particular structural state of the loop domain, leading to further conformational rearrangements across the transmembrane domain and signal propagating interaction with G proteins. Interaction of the Glu(301) of the receptor with Arg(8) of GnRH induces a folded configuration of the ligand. Our proposal thus suggests that conformational changes of both ligand and receptor result from this interaction.

Oxidative stress is responsible for deficient survival and dendritogenesis in Purkinje neurons from ataxia-telangiectasia mutated mutant mice

Atm gene-disrupted mice recapitulate the majority of characteristics observed in patients with the genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). However, although they exhibit defects in neuromotor function and a distinct neurological phenotype, they do not show the progressive neurodegeneration seen in human patients, but there is evidence that ataxia-telangiectasia mutated ( Atm)-deficient animals have elevated levels of oxidized macromolecules and some neuropathology. We report here that in vitro survival of cerebellar Purkinje cells from both Atm knock-out and Atm knock-in mice was significantly reduced compared with their wild-type littermates. Although most of the Purkinje neurons from wild-type mice exhibited extensive dendritic elongation and branching under these conditions, most neurons from Atm-deficient mice had dramatically reduced dendritic branching. An antioxidant ( isoindoline nitroxide) prevented Purkinje cell death in Atm-deficient mice and enhanced dendritogenesis to wild-type levels. Furthermore, administration of the antioxidant throughout pregnancy had a small enhancing effect on Purkinje neuron survival in Atm gene-disrupted animals and protected against oxidative stress in older animals. These data provide strong evidence for a defect in the cerebellum of Atm-deficient mice and suggest that oxidative stress contributes to this phenotype.

Fortalecer o servi??o p??blico e valorizar a cidadania: a op????o australiana

O artigo analisa o processo de reforma administrativa empreendida na Austr??lia ao longo das d??cadas de 70-80, destacando duas de suas principais tend??ncias: o fortalecimento da ???Fun????o Executiva Superior???e a valoriza????o da cidadania. Nele s??o descritos os princ??pios b??sicos norteadores da reforma ao longo dos anos 70, bem como, os objetivos visados com a segunda fase das reformas executadas a partir da d??cada de 80, implementadas por governos trabalhistas. Destaca-se a organiza????o e o funcionamento do sistema das Ag??ncias de Ombudsmen e dos Comiss??rios de Contas respons??veis pela fiscaliza????o e gest??o or??ament??ria. A seguir, s??o descritas algumas das a????es encaminhadas pela Public Service Commission (PSC) no sentido de aperfei??oar o gerenciamento e o melhor desempenho dos recursos humanos, destacando a introdu????o do importante conceito de Novo Profissionalismo, assentado em valores como responsabilidade para com o governo, foco nos resultados, m??rito como valor b??sico, altos n??veis de integridade e probidade na conduta, desempenho com accountability e melhoramento cont??nuo do desempenho das equipes e indiv??duos. Outro importante instrumento analisado ?? o Human Resource Management, atrav??s do qual as autoridades australianas introduziram novas pr??ticas como negocia????o no local de trabalho, plano de oportunidades igualit??rias no local de trabalho e o plano de treinamento e especializa????o. Para finalizar, o artigo enfoca a pol??tica de contratualiza????o de servi??os p??blicos adotada na Austr??lia ??? os Competitive Tendering and Contracting, evidenciando os fatores indutores da ado????o desta nova pr??tica de gest??o.

Auditoria interna como instrumento de controle social na administra????o p??blica

Sob o ponto de vista constitucional os controles interno e externo somam-se a fim de promover responsabiliza????o permanente dos gestores p??blicos em torno dos princ??pios constitucionais da administra????o p??blica: legalidade, impessoalidade, moralidade, publicidade e efici??ncia. Neste artigo a argumenta????o segue no sentido de incrementar as discuss??es acerca da import??ncia de que em todos os n??veis da administra????o p??blica e nos tr??s poderes ??? Legislativo, Executivo e Judici??rio ??? seja implantada a auditoria interna, como unidade respons??vel pela an??lise do sistema de controle interno e a interlocu????o com o controle externo. Embora a administra????o p??blica no Brasil ainda se estruture hibridamente sob o sistema burocr??tico e o sistema gerencial, o fato ?? que os administradores p??blicos possuem na auditoria interna importante mecanismo gerencial que, como regra, contribui para detectar e propor a corre????o dos desperd??cios e procedimentos equivocados, principalmente antecipando-se a essas ocorr??ncias. Neste artigo, ?? apresentado ainda o exemplo da cria????o da auditoria interna no Instituto de Pesos e Medidas do Estado de S??o Paulo (Ipem-SP), sua interlocu????o com o Controle Externo e os resultados no ??mbito da autarquia.

Improving the public management career: report for the ministry of planning, budgeting e management, federal government of Brazil

This report sets out the findings and recommendations of a review of the Public Management Career (EPPGG) undertaken between 5 and 9 January 2009. The purpose of the review was to clarify EPPGG???s role, functions and profile, and to develop proposals for improving its effectiveness and management, taking account of the context within which such improvements would have to be implemented. Specific objectives were to examine a number of human resources management (HRM) aspects of the career in the light of international practice, including recruitment; initial education; professional development; performance evaluation; deployment; mobility and networking.