Employment-Based Training on Alcohol and Other Drugs in England: Bridging the Gap

The first of its kind in England, this study explored the extent and nature of employer-based training on alcohol and other drugs for social workers working in children's and adults' services. A national survey of workforce development departments was undertaken to find out how social workers are being prepared by their employers for engaging with people who use alcohol and other drugs. Based on a response rate of 46%, the findings show that a majority of departments (82%) provided training on these issues in the year 2011–2012. However, most of this training was not mandatory. These courses are targeted most often at those working in children's services rather than those in adults' services. Most courses are offered at basic or intermediary level, and content of training is covered inconsistently. These findings suggest a need to increase the priority of alcohol and other drugs' training across adults' services in particular and to make this training mandatory, as well as ensuring that staff have adequate time and incentive to attend. Effectiveness of social care practice for all social care practitioners around alcohol and other drugs use could be improved with more focus on training practitioners how to talk to service users about their substance use.     

The Demand for Gasoline in China: a Cointegration Analysis

The economic reforms in China since 1979 and consequent increases in disposable income have caused total gasoline consumption to soar nearly 240% between 1980 and 1999. As the growth rate of gasoline consumption is expected to be high due to the increased economic activity resulting from China's re-accession to the WTO, the government must understand the implications for economic growth and balance of payments. Using cointegration techniques, it was found that, between 1980 and 1999, demand for gasoline was relatively inelastic to price changes, both in the short and long terms. The long-run income elasticity was 0.97, implying that the future growth rate of gasoline consumption will be close to the growth rate of the economy, which is predicted to be about 7% per annum from 2001 to 2005, and 5-6% over the decade thereafter.     

PARTY DEMOCRACY ON-LINE: UK PARTIES AND NEW ICTS

This paper examines the impact of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) on levels of intra-party democracy in the UK in light of recent claims of increasing centralization of power and marginalization of members within West European political parties. Specifically, it examines whether parties adoption of the internet, in the shape of an internal computer communication system (ICCS) and internal party groups' use of the World Wide Web (WWW), is promoting intra-party democracy in two areas: (1) the vertical distribution of power between members and elites; (2) the spatial concentration of power between intra-party groupings and central party elites. The findings show that while many parties have made use of the internet for internal communication there is no concerted effort being made by parties to harness its potential to promote members input into decision-making and elite accountability.     

THE ROLE OF TEMPORALITY IN MEDIATED COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY CONVERGENCE

This article examines two components of temporality that have implications for electronically mediated communication. One is the dichotomy of simultaneous/non-simultaneous communication and then the varying degrees of non-simultaneity that are possible. The other is the fundamental difference between timed and untimed communication. Timed communication is temporally based and sequential, while untimed communication, such as print and still image content, is spatially based. The article argues that there are two fundamental types of mediated communication: communication mediated across time and communication mediated across space. The implications of temporality for both forms of mediated communication are examined in detail. The implications of temporality and mediated communication for multimedia, technology convergence, and research are discussed.     

Care for vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Czech Republic

The problematic issue of care for vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Czech Republic, highlighted in this article, stems from the large number of children in institutional care. Workers from the Department for Social and Legal Child Protection (OSPOD) may get involved if there are factors in the family jeopardising the child's healthy development that cannot be improved, and institutional care may be recommended. This article discusses factors that influence and many times complicate the worker's job and are often the reason for an adversely high number of children living without a family. Attempts to reunite children with their biological families are complicated by the fact that the family situation rarely improves. Therefore children returning to live with their own families face the same conditions they were previously removed from. A more positive option for some children placed in institutional care is adoption or long-term foster care. However, many children continue to spend their whole childhood in a care home. The authors describe the care system in the Czech Republic and point out its weaknesses and some controversial facts. They also discuss and evaluate the ‘National Action Plan’, a government policy document, which articulates aspirations and obligations for all government departments and organisations involved in the Czech childcare system.     

论加强党校人口理论教研工作

广东是一个人口大省 ,加强党校人口理论教研工作 ,促进各级干部对计划生育重要性的认识 ,是提高广东计划生育工作水平的重要途径。本文在论述加强党校人口理论教研工作的必要性的基础上 ,论述了党校人口理论教研的内容、方法。     

Climate change,consumer lifestyles and legitimation strategies of sustainability-oriented firms

This study explores the links between climate change, consumer lifestyles, and legitimation strategies of sustainable firms. Our findings offer new insight into this under-researched area based on qualitative case studies of four Nordic firms operating in industrial and consumer contexts. We find that climate change consciousness is a major driver for all case firms’ sustainability-focused operations, but the dynamics differed. Achieving sociopolitical legitimacy emerges as an important factor for the case firms operating in the energy sector, especially as it connects to government incentives and regulative pressures. However, cognitive legitimacy is increasingly important for them also, and the firms are trying to connect to their consumers’ lifestyles as well. In turn, for the case firms operating in the consumer (clothing) industry, functionality and the use of products are highlighted even though cognitive legitimacy based on linking to their consumers’ lifestyle is visible. Finally, the findings reveal that despite the sustainable lifestyles are increasingly important and better recognized in firm strategies and practices, other practicalities of running the business successfully in a highly competitive marketplace are relevant. Building legitimacy in such a way that captures and justifies different approaches, therefore, emerges as the connecting factor between the changing consumer behavior and pro-environmental firm practices.     

论生态文明建设的理论根基——马克思主义人与自然关系理论

生态文明建设已成为我国当前建设中国特色社会主义的自觉实践。实践的自觉源于理论的自觉。对马克思主义人与自然关系理论的深刻领悟和自觉把握,是我国生态文明建设实践的理论根基。在马克思主义视野中,人与自然是内在同一的,是相互建构的,因而是必须和谐发展的。这就意示着,人在实践过程中必须尊重自然,顺应自然,保护自然,构建生态文明。     

石原莞尔的侵华思想述论

石原莞尔不仅是一个狂热的侵华分子 ,还有一套自己加工制造的侵华理论。 (1)“满洲是日本的生命线” ,必须及早占领 ;(2 )不要急于深入华北地区 ,应集中精力经营“满洲”且持之不移 ;(3)尽快建立以日本为盟主的“东亚联盟” ,借以实现对中国的全面控制 ;(4)对中国的战争应坚持持久战。     

关于《思想道德修养与法律基础》课程建设的思考

通过总结梳理,归纳《思想道德修养与法律基础》课程建设所取得的成绩,分析存在的问题,提出一些改进措施和建议。