Ken Coghill

An Actor-Network Theory Analysis of Policy Innovation for Smoke-Free Places: Understanding Change in Complex Systems

Complex, transnational issues like the tobacco epidemic are major challenges that defy analysis and management by conventional methods, as are other public health issues, such as those associated with global food distribution and climate change. We examined the evolution of indoor smoke-free regulations, a tobacco control policy innovation, and identified the key attributes of those jurisdictions that successfully pursued this innovation and those that to date have not. In doing so, we employed the actor-network theory, a comprehensive framework for the analysis of fundamental system change. Through our analysis, we identified approaches to help overcome some systemic barriers to the solution of the tobacco problem and comment on other complex transnational problems.

Good governance and market-based reforms: a study of Bangladesh

‘Good governance’ is increasingly regarded as pivotal to development in developing countries. The six indicators recognized as the most effective measurement tools of ‘good governance’ across the world are: voice and accountability; political stability and absence of violence; government effectiveness; regulatory quality; rule of law and control of corruption (Kaufmann, Kraay and Lobaton, 2003: 8–9). This paper investigates how lack of ‘good governance’ affects the success and sustainability of the market-based reforms undertaken in the agriculture sector of Bangladesh. The reforms have been associated with increased food grain production, improved food security conditions and easy access by farmers to agricultural inputs. However, a significant problem has arisen recently: the sale of low quality and underweight agricultural inputs sometimes at higher prices has become common. Not only is this problem undermining the positive impact of the reforms, it is also threatening their sustainability. The paper argues that the problems with regulatory quality, rule of law and control of corruption – indicators of good governance – are the underlying reasons for this problem. In the context of increasing pressures from donors to pursue market-based reforms, this paper stresses the need for integrated governance linking government, business and civil society as paramount for promoting good governance for the success and sustainability of the reforms.

Neuro‐Fuzzy Support of Knowledge Management in Social Regulation

The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the neuro‐fuzzy support of knowledge management in social regulation. Knowledge could be understood for social regulation purposes as explicit and tacit. Explicit knowledge relates to the community culture indicating how things work in the community based on social policies and procedures. Tacit knowledge is ethics and norms of the community. The former could be codified, stored and transferable in order to support decision making, while the latter being based on personal knowledge, experience and judgments is difficult to codify and store. Tacit knowledge expressed through linguistic information can be stored and used to support knowledge management in social regulation through the application of fuzzy and neuro‐fuzzy logic.

Neuro-fuzzy modelling in support of knowledge management in social regulation of access to cigarettes by minors

In this paper a neuro-fuzzy modelling is proposed to support knowledge management in social regulation. The neuro-fuzzy learning process is based on tacit knowledge in order to highlight what specific steps local government should undertake to reach the outcome with an increase in compliance. An example is given to demonstrate the validity of the approach. Empirical results show the dependability of the proposed techniques.

Governance in Sri Lanka: Lessons from Post-Tsunami Rebuilding

Abstract This article applies complex evolving systems theory (CES) to investigating the governance factors affecting rebuilding in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. It also examines the crucial processes of co-operation between the various governance actors (public, market and civil society) in the aftermath of the disaster. The main focus is on the horizontal integration in the process of service delivery at the district level during the rebuilding stage, and on explaining the nature and extent of collaboration in the delivery of services needed for the survivors to build their new lives. Our observations suggest that influence, incentives and the power of dominant groups remain highly relevant to the outcomes and that the socio-political system within which they operate is dynamic. Governance as a whole has become a playing field for dominant stakeholder groups both within and outside the government. The study demonstrates the value of CES in improving the understanding of complex governance in the context of a crisis.

Self-Organisation of the Community: Democratic Republic or Anarchic Utopia

This paper examines the implications of widespread behavioural characteristics and values found in human communities for the operation of fuzzy logic in social organisation. It distinguishes between community and society, after Nancy (1991). The paper argues that there are features of human behaviour and values which are so general as to be regarded as fundamental aspects of mankind, notwithstanding some variations in their rankings between and within communities. Amongst these features are mankind’s essentially social nature. Communities are comprised of individuals who are interdependent on each other and who interact with each other. The interactions occur according to fundamental patterns of human behaviour and values, notwithstanding the capacity for the exercise of free will and independent action. This understanding of the nature of communities stands in contra-distinction to perspectives that treat people as autonomous individuals.

Integrated Governance: A Pre-Requisite for Sustainable Market-Oriented Development in Bangladesh

Abstract Using agriculture input sector as an exemplar, this article assesses Bangladeshs efforts towards a market-oriented development approach. It examines the changing role of the state following the market-based reforms undertaken in this sector and assesses whether the outcomes of the reforms are sustainable. Findings reveal that, although the current move towards a market-oriented approach has led to a shift away from a state-dominated hierarchical structure, it has not been associated with adequate changes in institutional arrangements, safeguards, and regulation. As a result, despite notable achievements of the reforms, the sustainability of these successes is in question. To facilitate participatory, accountable, and sustainable, market-oriented development, the paper proposes an integrated governance model linking state, business, and civil society.

Market‐based reforms and privatization in Sri Lanka

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse the extent to which socio‐political obstacles have influenced the successful establishment and performance of an institutional framework to implement the privatization programme in Sri Lanka.Design/methodology/approach – Secondary data have been extensively used in this paper to interpret, analyse and strengthen the arguments. Further, the recent data collected through semi‐structured interviews with stakeholders in the telecommunications sector in Sri Lanka have been used. The analysis has been confined to the Sri Lankan context.Findings – This paper finds that the institutional framework, one of the preconditions necessary for successful implementation of reforms, has not been successful in the implementation due to the unsound socio‐political milieu prevailing in the country.Research limitations/implications – This paper addresses only one aspect, i.e. the importance of a proper institutional framework. It emphasizes the need for further cas...

Ownership, competition and regulation under privatization policy: the Sri Lankan experience:

In response to the global shift from command-based economies to market economies, Sri Lanka liberalized its economy in 1977. Liberalization includes three main components, i.e. institutional reforms, removal of barriers to market entry, and creation of proper regulatory regimes. Privatization as one of the strategies under liberalization, however, became the prominent policy adopted in the second wave of liberalization that took place in Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s. This was aimed at not only reducing the fiscal and administrative burdens of a large public enterprise sector, but also to stimulate private sector development and to inspire greater government accountability. The fundamentals for successful implementation were, however, the change in ownership, the designing of policies to stimulate competition and changes in the regulatory regime with capable institutions. This article explores and analyses the extent to which the prevailing socio-political culture of the country has influenced these three dimensions of the reforms that have taken place in the public utility sectors in Sri Lanka. It argues that if any of the three dimensions of privatization — that is, ownership, competition and regulation — are not taken into serious consideration, the expected outcomes would not be met. The arguments are built up under the same three pillars of privatization using primary and secondary data. It also highlights the importance of putting equal emphasis on all three dimensions of liberalization instead of pure organizational reforms. However, successful implementation is also subject to the availability of domestic conditions that are supportive of reforms. Points for practitioners • Reforms in the public utility sectors in Sri Lanka since the early 1980s with special reference to privatization policy have been dealt with. • The importance of paying equal attention to all three dimensions, i.e. ownership, competition and regulation, is highlighted. • The consequences of privatization of two industries, i.e. gas industry and telecommunications, are discussed in detail. • Sri Lanka has responded to the demands for reforms without creating a legal and institutional framework and ignoring domestic conditions.

A decision tree approach for predicting smokers’ quit intentions

This paper presents a decision tree approach for predicting smokerspsila quit intentions using the data from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey. Three rule-based classification models are generated from three data sets using attributes in relation to demographics, warning labels, and smokerspsila beliefs. Both demographic attributes and warning label attributes are important in predicting smokerspsila quit intentions. The modelpsilas ability to predict smokerspsila quit intentions is enhanced, if the attributes regarding smokerspsila internal motivation and beliefs about quitting are included.