British Statutory Sector Partnerships with the Voluntary Sector

Abstract

The boundaries of the welfare state in Britain have shifted considerably since the early 1980s. In the context of a desire to see an expanded mixed economyof welfare, the voluntary and community sectors have been expected to take on, in partnership with the statutory sector, a more active role in the delivery of a range of welfare services. Governmental speeches and policy initiatives in the UK have reasoned that the voluntary sector is cost-effective, offers “added value” to users and statutory sector purchasers, provides high quality services, is adaptable to changing needs and promotes greater user involvement. This article takes a critical look at some of the claims that are often made for service-providing voluntary organizations in the field of community (social) care.     

Voluntary work in the Norwegian long-term care sector: complementing or substituting formal services?

ABSTRACT

Across Europe, governments call for increased involvement of volunteers to shoulder some of the welfare burden. Nevertheless, there is little research into what kind of work and how much volunteers currently contribute in the long-term care services and whether this has the potential to substitute formal services. Drawing on findings from a survey of employees in Norwegian nursing homes and home care districts, we examine the nature and volume of voluntary, unpaid work in the long-term care services in Norway. Our data suggest that volunteers to a very limited degree carry out work that has traditionally been considered the formal system’s domain: personal care and practical help. Nearly all the voluntary, unpaid contributions in our data takes place within cultural, social and other activities aimed at promoting mental stimulation and well-being, indicating a classic specialisation of tasks between volunteers and professionals. However, there has been an expansion of the formal care system to include activities aimed at promoting well-being in recent decades. This may indicate that there is a certain level of task sharing between voluntary and formal care. Thus, social workers need to consider voluntary service provision when assessing the needs of clients.     

盈余质量对自愿性信息披露的影响及作用机理

自愿性信息披露是管理层对外传递公司价值,缓解信息不对称的重要手段,是强制性财务报告的有益补充。财务报告的盈余信息不但通过契约制定约束了管理层行为,其盈余质量也反映了管理层可信度并影响自愿披露的估值作用,这些都会影响公司自愿披露行为。本文以上市公司自愿披露的前瞻性信息为对象,分析了盈余质量对自愿性信息披露的影响及作用机理。实证结果证实了盈余质量对自愿性信息披露有契约作用和鉴证作用;契约作用表现为盈余质量可通过降低代理成本提高自愿披露水平;而鉴证作用体现在盈余质量为自愿披露信息提供了可鉴证性保障,提高了公司价值与自愿披露水平的相关性。     

论尼撒的格列高利的灵魂观

尼撒的格列高利是卡帕多西亚三大教父之一,格列高利的灵魂观以超越身体的非质料性为其根本特性,以灵魂的自发运动为其活动机制,为早期基督教理论塑造终极诉求奠定了坚实的基础。     

Power,justice, and trust: A moderated mediation analysis of tax compliance among Ethiopian business owners

We explored the moderating roles of legitimate and coercive power held by the tax authority in the relationship between procedural justice, trust in the tax authority, and voluntary tax compliance. Drawing from fairness heuristic theory and the slippery slope framework of tax compliance, we predicted that procedural justice fosters voluntary tax compliance, particularly when legitimate power of the tax authority is low and when coercive power of the authority is high. Moreover, we predicted that these interactive effects are mediated by (cognition-based) trust. Finally, we predicted that coercive power of the tax authority is positively related with enforced tax compliance. The results of a field study among Ethiopian business owners supported most predictions. This research is among the first to integrate social–psychological and deterrence-related factors to understand tax compliance behavior in a developing country.     

汉字性质及发展规律探析——兼评有关反对汉字改革的错误观点

汉字作为字形、字音和字义的结合体,它的本质属性决定了其简化和拼音化的发展道路。文章在探讨汉字本质及其演进规律的基础上,对关于汉字学习和改革的＂新说＂提出了质疑,以期引起对这一问题的注意和更多的讨论。     

民法视野下产权型保障房退出机制的分析——以“有限产权”向“共有产权”理论的过渡为视角

当前,我国产权型保障房的退出方式可区分为主动退出和强制退出,构建公平、合理的退出机制是使产权型保障房回归"公共产品"价值属性的保证。完善产权型保障房的退出机制,须从分析退出机制的现存问题入手,以"有限产权"向"共有产权"理论的过渡为视角,重塑产权型保障房的物权属性,建立政府回购体系,推行交易的"内部循环"并制定统一的退出事由和多元化的退出措施。     

Career Dis-integration and Re-integration in Mergers and Acquisitions:: Managing Competence and Motivational Intangibles

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are increasingly prevalent, powerful and risky corporate events. The resistance or support of people in the integration of two previously separate organizations plays a key role for their success or failure. In this paper we present a Career Concept approach to better understand and manage sources and incentives for individual contributions and reactions to M&A. As ‘merged’ corporations integrate previously separate organizations, they can often dis-integrate individual careers with lay-offs, reduced advancement opportunities, upset or changed career plans, and other resistance-generating changes. This is the poorest means of mobilizing motivation, experience, commitment and competence, all of which are usually seen as critical justifications for M&A in the first place. Organizations face opportunity to select new combinations and integrate work in ways that individual careers can be re-integrated into the goals of the M&A with the goals and motivations of participants affected by it, by recognizing and effectively supporting different motivational and competence profiles.     

The Give and Take of Volunteering: Motives,Benefits, and Personal Connections among Irish Volunteers

Volunteers are integral to the delivery of health and social services in many countries. Volunteer motivation is the key phenomenon around which research into the psychology of volunteering behaviour has been based in the recent past. This study comprised interviews with 26 volunteers working with eight health and social care organizations in Ireland. The study aimed to describe and interpret reasons for initial and continued volunteering involvement. Four key themes were proposed on the basis of a thematic analysis: volunteer motives; personal connections to organizations and causes; benefits; and challenges arising from volunteering. These themes are analysed in light of social psychological theory to better understand why people volunteer and maintain their involvement in the face of competing demands. The findings suggest that benefits and challenges merit a higher profile in research into the volunteer process, and that bonds of perceived obligation motivate many volunteers to begin and continue their involvement in health and social care.     

Cost–benefit analysis of a PMTCT program in Mozambique

The costs and benefits of a HIV/AIDS PMTCT program in a Mozambican city were calculated. The provision and non-provision of infant feeding formula were considered, along with voluntary counselling and testing, and anti-retroviral treatment with Nevirapine. Costs were calculated in monetary units and benefits as deaths averted and disability-adjusted life years. The UNAIDS cost-effectiveness tool for evaluating ARV drug and substitute feeding interventions was used. The costs of the program were compared with the costs of treating HIV-infected children. With no infant feeding formula, there would be a total savings of US$5242 and a negative cost per DALY of US$1.53 without infant feeding formula. With formula, net annual costs would be US$141,268 and cost per DALY US$38.69. Citywide, each year 132 infant deaths would be averted by use of Nevirapine and eight averted by the breastmilk replacement program. All program options have reasonable cost-effectiveness ratios.