Aid to conflict-affected countries : lessons for donors

The first section looks at the implications of conflict for aid effectiveness and selectivity. We argue that, while aid is generally effective in promoting growth and by implication reducing poverty, it is more effective in promoting growth in post-conflict countries. We then consider the implications of these findings for donor selectivity models and for assessment of donor performance in allocating development aid among recipient countries. We argue that, while further research on aid effectiveness in post-conflict scenarios is needed, existing selectivity models should be augmented with, inter alia, post-conflict variables, and donors should be evaluated on the basis, inter alia, of the share of their aid budgets allocated to countries experiencing post-conflict episodes. We also argue for aid delivered in the form of projects to countries with weak institutions in early post-conflict years. The second section focuses on policies for donors operating in conflict-affected countries. We set out five of the most important principles: (1) focus on broad-based recovery from war; (2) to achieve a broad-based recovery, get involved before the conflict ends; (3) focus on poverty, but avoid ‘wish lists’; (4) help to reduce insecurity so aid can contribute more effectively to growth and poverty reduction; and (5) in economic reform, focus on improving public expenditure management and revenue mobilisation. The third section concludes by emphasising the fact that there is no hard or fast dividing line between ‘war’ and ‘peace’ and that it may take many years for a society to become truly ‘post’-conflict’. Donors, therefore, need to prepare for the long haul.

Urban sustainability and market typologies : lessons from Tabriz Bazaar

The market is an essential component of urban form. Contemporary shopping malls can benefit from the inherent efficiencies of traditional markets. This paper addresses the development of sustainable models of market typologies based on a specific case study, the Bazaar of Tabriz in Iran.

As one of the biggest historical covered markets in the world (Moradi and Nassabi 2007), it remains an effective trading centre in the city. What are the lessons that make Tabriz a sustainable urban typology and what lessons can we draw from its spatial and operational structure?

To address this question, the paper presents two analytical studies of the urban and building morphology of Tabriz. First, the paper presents an analysis of the urban and social structure of the market based on Lynchian analysis. Second, it provides an analysis of the thermal, ventilation and lighting principles used in the buildings of the market and how they respond to the extreme climatic conditions of north-west Iran.

Rainfall and snow in one side and hot summers in the other, give the buildings in the city really critical performance in terms of life span during the years of operation.

The main target in this case study, is to illuminate the urban typological clarifications in the Bazaar of Tabriz, which wilt elucidate how parallel links between urban morphology (land cover) and urban typology (land use) in a defined urban planning can form a sustainable urban space. Moreover, how the case of this study can be an energy efficient complex with its own urban morphology.

The lessons of Tabriz for the development of contemporary markets are summarised in the paper and need to be addressed at two scales, namely the urban scale and the scale of the building.

Globalising water accounting : lessons from the globalisation of financial reporting

Water management is a matter of global concern. To underpin sound management of water scarcity and quality issues requires high quality, consistent, understandable and credible information. In a world first, accounting and water industry experts in Australia have developed a system of water accounting as an accounting sub-discipline, analogous to financial accounting to guide national and intra-national decision-making. With a conceptual framework and a Preliminary Australian Water Accounting Standard in place, Australia’s approach is being evaluated internationally within the water and mining industries. Its fate as a discipline will depend upon regulatory politics as well as the intellectual and practical rigour of the system and the rate of its adoption. In this paper, we explore the application to water accounting of regulatory theories that have been valuable to gaining an understanding of financial accounting standards development. We predict the international path of the water accounting a sub-discipline of accounting, as an outcome of political forces.

International postgraduate students experience in a UK university : lessons for academic practice

This paper reports on a study of the international postgraduate student experience in a United Kingdom (UK) university, using a case study approach. Looking at both the academic and non academic experience of students in the university, the paper attempts to identify differences in perceptions of staff and students on key issues related to the international student experience. The limited sample of this study is compensated for by the quality and depth of data obtained from in-depth interviews with students and staff in one UK university. Results indicate significant convergence of perceptions in relation to the quality of education in the UK though the issues of cultural integration, English language and inadequate student support and the serious threat these issues pose to the quality of experience for students. The paper identifies five key gaps in the way staff and students conceptualise the postgraduate student experience and concludes with suggestions for how management might narrow these gaps in the higher education context.

The Canadian response to Aboriginal residential schools : lessons for Australia and the United States?

The common policy of the Australian, Canadian and United States governments of removing aboriginal children from their families and placing them in institutions is now well documented. This article considers the responses to the stolen generations in Australia, Canada and United States. A major focus of the article is the historic compensation package agreed to by the Canadian government. Whilst the Canadian federal government has not been without criticism on this issue, it must be applauded for its efforts to meet a peaceful solution to a tragic past. The political responses in Australia and United States and Canada are simply incomparable. The failure to address the plight of the stolen generations of Australia and the United States evidences a major failing in Indian/Aboriginal policy in these two nations that needs to be addressed. Australia and the United States have much to learn from the reconciliatory policies of the Canadian government.

Cultural dimensions of arts entrepreneurship : lessons for Vietnam from Australia

This paper provides an overview of entrepreneurial activities in three non-profit performing arts organisations in Australia and lists implications for Vietnam. The relationship between limited funding, pressure to attract audiences and the need to act entrepreneurially to diversify funding sources characterises both countries. Case studies from Australia were used to analyse how leaders in arts organisations balance the interests of the various funding sources and market opportunities to service their revenue requirements. Our research strengthens the need to study how Vietnamese artists face challenges of financial viability, audience development, and balance between commercialization and artistic creativity. We conclude that entrepreneurship is seen as an important concept for understanding the development of arts organisations in Australia and Vietnam.

Increasing community capacity to prevent childhood obesity : challenges, lessons learned and results from the Romp & Chomp intervention

Background
Obesity is a major public health issue; however, only limited evidence is available about effective ways to prevent obesity, particularly in early childhood. Romp & Chomp was a community-wide obesity prevention intervention conducted in Geelong Australia with a target group of 12,000 children aged 0-5 years. The intervention had an environmental and capacity building focus and we have recently demonstrated that the prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower in intervention children, post-intervention. Capacity building is defined as the development of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems and leadership to enable effective health promotion and the aim of this study was to determine if the capacity of the Geelong community, represented by key stakeholder organisations, to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children was increased after Romp & Chomp.

Methods
A mixed methods evaluation with three data sources was utilised. 1) Document analysis comprised assessment of the documented formative and intervention activities against a capacity building framework (five domains: Partnerships, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Workforce Development, and Organisational Development); 2) Thematic analysis of key informant interviews (n = 16); and 3) the quantitative Community Capacity Index Survey.

Results
Document analysis showed that the majority of the capacity building activities addressed the Partnerships, Resource Allocation and Organisational Development domains of capacity building, with a lack of activity in the Leadership and Workforce Development domains. The thematic analysis revealed the establishment of sustainable partnerships, use of specialist advice, and integration of activities into ongoing formal training for early childhood workers. Complex issues also emerged from the key informant interviews regarding the challenges of limited funding, high staff turnover, changing governance structures, lack of high level leadership and unclear communication strategies. The Community Capacity Index provided further evidence that the project implementation network achieved a moderate level of capacity.

Conclusions
Romp & Chomp increased the capacity of organisations, settings and services in the Geelong community to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children. Despite this success there are important learnings from this mixed methods evaluation that should inform current and future community-based public health and health promotion initiatives.

Trial Registration Number: ANZCTRN12607000374460