Community councils as a medium for public participation: a case study in Grampian region

Planning authorities in Scotland are obliged to consult the public before finalising policies and proposals to be included in their development plans. Community councils are intended to operate as ‘the voice of a neighbourhood’ and this paper analyses an attempt by a regional planning authority to use community councils as a vehicle for consulting the public in the preparation of a structure plan for a rural area. The paper concludes that the attempt was unsuccessful because the community councils were not clear about the role they were expected to play; nor were they adequately prepared for their role. The authors believe, however, that the involvement of community councils has potential for promoting greater public participation in the preparation of development plans.     

Likelihood and higher-order approximations to tail areas: A review and annotated bibliography

Recent developments in higher-order asymptotic theory for statistical inference have emphasized the fundamental role of the likelihood function in providing accurate approximations to cumulative distribution functions. This paper summarizes the main results, with an emphasis on classes of problems for which relatively easily implemented solutions exist. A survey of the literature indicates the large number of problems solved and solvable by this method. Generalizations and extensions, with suggestions for further development, are considered.     

行政组织边界理论基础上的我国农业行政执法体制改革理论模型研究

农业行政执法正逐步成为一项重要的农业行政职能 ,农业行政综合执法是我国农业行政执法体制改革中产生的新生事物 ,在实践中受到各方利益群体的质疑。本文以我国行政体制改革是行政边界和行政组织边界的双重边界重构为理论基础 ,研究归纳出我国农业行政执法的三种理论模型 ,并阐述了模型形成的依据和模型的替代顺序 ,认为综合执法是我国现阶段提高农业行政执法效率切实可行的选择 ,从长远来看也可能是一种过渡形式。     

The use of confrontation in group treatment: Attack or challenge?

This paper considers the use of confrontation as a part of group treatment. When done carefully, confrontation leads to expanded awareness by the members and strengthens group cohesion. When done awkwardly, it leads to increased resistance and defensiveness. The author explores ways in which confrontation can be used to challenge discrepancies, distortions, games and smoke screens, and resistance. There is also a discussion of therapeutic guidelines for the practitioner.     

The contribution of exclusive representation to union strength

In this paper we show that exclusive representation and other union security agreements contribute substantially to union strength. A regression analysis of the growth of unionism among teachers during the 1970s measures just how potent exclusive representation and dues checkoff agreements are in stimulating union growth in the public sector. Further discussion prompts the conclusion that these powerful measures are especially inappropriate in the public sector, for they excessively coerce employees’ representation and benefit employers, not employees.     

Critical factors in the adoption of emotionally disturbed youths

Critical factors in the adoption of hard-to-place youths were analyzed from a sample of 78 children and adolescents placed with adoptive families between 1974 and 1982. Tabular materials and statistical data are available to interested readers on request to the senior author.