Assessing the Carrying Capacity of the Florida Keys

In 1996, the State of Florida mandated a study of the Florida Keys, the most populated portion of Monroe County, explicitly calling for a carrying capacity analysis to function as a basis for determining building permit allocation in the future. The Florida Keys Carrying Capacity Study, conducted by the State of Florida and the US Army Corps of Engineers, has encountered challenges in trying to convert the vague carrying capacity concept into a functional, quantitative method. Difficulties in responding to external peer review advice suggests that institutional constraints are hindering re-direction of the study.     

Supporting the sustainability of Mad Studies and preventing its co-option

Mad Studies is emerging as a new force in ‘mental health’ discourse and developments. Given the way in which other would-be progressive developments associated with attempts to include experimental knowledge in this field, such as ‘recovery’ and ‘peer support’, have been subverted, this article considers whether it is possible for Mad Studies to avoid this. Drawing on developments in Disability Studies and in relation to the social model of disability, we explore what can be done in order to safeguard the distinctiveness of Mad Studies and foster its unique contribution.     

Critical factors for improving social sustainability of urban renewal projects

This study reviews the sustainable urban design concept and identifies critical factors for enhancing social sustainability of urban renewal projects. Through a questionnaire survey carried out in Hong Kong, the opinions of architects, planners, property development managers, and local citizens were sought and evaluated. The results derived from factor analysis indicated that certain design features should be incorporated for achieving social sustainability. “Satisfaction of Welfare Requirements”, “Conservation of Resources & the Surroundings”, “Creation of Harmonious Living Environment”, “Provisions Facilitating Daily Life Operations”, “Form of Development” and “Availability of Open Spaces” were believed to be the significant underlying factors for enhancing social sustainability of local urban renewal projects.

Problem Solving: Complexity,History, Sustainability

Sustainability or collapse follow from the success or failure of problem-solving institutions. The factors that lead to long-term success or failure in problem solving have received little attention, so that this fundamental activity is poorly understood. The capacity of institutions to solve problems changes over time, suggesting that a science of problem solving, and thus a science of sustainability, must be historical. Complexity is a primary problem-solving strategy, which is often successful in the short-term, but cumulatively may become detrimental to sustainability. Historical case studies illustrate different outcomes to long-term development of complexity in problem solving. These cases clarify future options for contemporary societies: collapse, simplification, or increasing complexity based on increasing energy subsidies.     

从近六年“社会保障十件大事”看我国社会保障的发展特点与态势

文章对近六年中国“社会保障十件大事”进行统计分析,把脉近年来中国社会保障的发展变化与改革趋势。围绕事件的主题演变,社会保障呈现劳动保障向全民保障、普遍保障到特殊关注的发展态势,呈现被动保障到主动保障、分割推进到整体规划的发展态势,呈现由保险到福利、经济保障到服务保障的发展态势。但保障的公平性、流动性、可持续性等问题还需要进一步关注。     

我国社会保障研究综述

随着我国老龄化进程的不断加深,社会保障制度改革的顶层设计显得尤为重要。通过“构建更加公平可持续的社会保障制度”为目标,集中梳理了近年来有关社会保险、社会福利以及社会救助方面的相关研究成果,展现了我国社会保障改革的发展思路和实施路径。     

Young people with complex needs meet complex organizations: an interview study with Swedish professionals about sustainable work practices

ABSTRACT

This paper concerns preconditions for the well-being of young people with mental ill-health combined with social vulnerabilities, also referred to as youth with complex needs. Research questions are: What barriers to sustainable work practices for young people labelled as having complex needs do professionals encounter? What do professionals identify as possible ways to overcome these barriers? Sustainable work practices are reflected in three themes: empowerment, relationships and collaboration. The findings are based on semi-structured interviews with 24 professionals, 3 men and 21 women, working in psychiatric care and the social services in two Swedish municipalities in 2016 and 2017. Major barriers are lack of continuity and co-ordination in staff and support, and fragmentation of work practices. As a consequence of the increased specialization of human service organizations, young people have to interact with many different professionals which could cause disparate interventions. Possible ways mentioned to overcome these barriers are supported through good interactional skills, using keyworkers as well therapeutic alliances, wrap-around services and case management. Complexity is linked to organizations and work practices rather than to young people. An often dysfunctional service delivery system in organizations with rigid boundaries may also affect professionals’ aim for sustainable support.     

Overpopulation, Sustainable Development, and Security: Developing an Integrated Strategy

This paper proposes a symposium on overpopulation, sustainable development, and security. These issues are usually treated separately by politicians and the public, but addressing them intelligently requires seeing the interconnections. Many scientists warn that growing human numbers and consumption are undermining the carrying capacity of the Earth. Unfortunately, their advice has not been heeded as it is perceived as being contrary to some prevailing economic and social interests. This symposium would draw together some of the leading minds on the population/resource issue for the purpose of initiating a process to bridge the gap between scientific concerns and public policy.     

Knowledge management for sustainability in operations

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of Knowledge Management (KM) as a platform to enable sustainability in firms’ operations and to provide recommendations for managers to integrate sustainable operations into their business strategies. The urgency to create and implement sustainable operations is also argued. The conceptual framework is based on the hypothesis that KM contributes to the achievement of more suitable operations. To test this hypothesis, a model of structural equations was developed with data collected from 345 SMEs. Empirical evidence supported the hypothesis, indicating that KM represents an important alternative to implementing sustainability. The results suggest that managers need to implent KM, as they will enable a better understanding and awareness regarding the global dangerous impacts from unsustainable operations mainly focused on sales and cost reduction. For this reason, this research provides evidence that KM offers an alternative impulse on the quest for more sustainable operations.     

Intergenerational Risk Decision Making: A Practical Example

There is no such thing as intergenerational decision making, at least not yet. In fact, there is no such thing as intragenerational decision making in the context of maximizing overall social good given resource limitations, there are just decisions being made in an ad hoc fashion. Even if one assumes that there is such a thing as intragenerational decision making, no uniform standard or guidance exists to make societal decisions for the common good. Risks to society are judged unevenly within the same agency and across agencies. Decisions are made in isolation and not weighed in the societal context of what is intra or intergenerationally important. The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) has set forth a framework for intergenerational decision making that provides a consistent and fair basis for making tough decisions in order to address difficult issues such as the long-term disposal of nuclear wastes. NAPA recognizes that there is an intergenerational obligation that must encompass broader questions than the narrow issue of waste disposal since resources are finite and needs are great. The fundamental principles are based on sustainability with the overarching objective that "no generation should needlessly, now or in the future, deprive its successors of the opportunity to enjoy a quality of life equivalent to its own." Coupled with this objective are four supporting principles of trusteeship, sustainability, chain of obligation, and precaution. The NAPA process also recognizes that no decision can be final and that a "rolling future" view is better than making decisions for "all time." It attempts to balance the needs of the present with those of the future in an open and transparent process that is aimed at producing a decision, not just endless analysis. The U.S. Congress and president should develop a rational standard by which to judge laws that involve intra and intergenerational issues relative to the overall societal good. Present regulations need to be evaluated relative to a uniform level of risk and benefit to assess where the limited money available can do the most good for both the present and future generations in the context of NAPA sustainability principles. It is hoped that decision makers will take a serious look at this process since it can work to resolve stakeholder stalemate.