Institutional evolution and abrupt change: Reforming the administration of social assistance in Finland

Historical institutionalist studies have explained institutional change as resulting from critical junctures that interrupt long periods of stability or from endogenous, incremental evolution. Building on these theories, discursive institutionalists have focused on the roles of agency, ideas and discourse as explainers of change. Combining these approaches, this article analyses Finland’s decision in 2014 to transfer the administration of basic social assistance from municipalities to the central government. This study demonstrates that institutional change can be both abrupt and evolutionary. Due to sudden, exceptional political circumstances, the decision in question was made quickly and under pressure, circumventing possible veto players. However, it was possible only because of the incremental, endogenous change that had occurred in the way in which social assistance was administered at the municipal level. It enabled a change in political discourse, which eroded the credibility of the ideational frames that policy actors had previously utilised to reject the centralised model.     

Middle School Children's Perceptions on Welfare and Poverty: An Exploratory, Qualitative Study

This study was undertaken to determine how middle school children assess the effects of welfare reform on their daily lives. The study consisted of thirty interviews with children and their mothers recruited from a middle school in a large, metropolitan area. From the children's perspective, multiple jobs and evening/night hours interfered with the child-parent relationship. Other consequences included grades going down and not getting to school on time. All the children stated that mothers should work, but most children felt mothers should only work when their children are in school. Welfare and poverty were issues about which children were teased at school.     

Open Road or Blind Alley? Welfare Reform, Mothers, and Children with Disabilities

Welfare reform was examined for 39 Michigan families whose children have significant health or intellectual and behavioral disabilities. As a group, these families received little specialized assistance or services to address their unique needs. Family-cited barriers to self-sufficiency included poorly trained welfare caseworkers, limited public transportation, and inadequate child care. Having an older child was the only discriminating variable between working and non-working mothers. However, working mothers only had temporary positions with no benefits and low pay. All families, whether employed or not, lived below the poverty line.     

对林业税费的经济学分析

该文运用经济学的基本工具———供给和需求曲线 ,以商品林为研究对象 ,探讨了林业税费的作用机理和内涵。该文认为商品林生产具有正的外部性 ,市场失灵使生产者将不能提供社会真正所需要的商品林数量。在封闭的市场条件下 ,林业税费会直接成为价格的一部分 ,商品林生产者应当能够获得正常利润 ,与税费高低无关 ,但会使一部分林地退出生产。林业补贴是一种负的林业税收。在开放市场经济条件下 ,国内商品林供应量低于没有林业税收时的商品林供应量 ,更低于考虑社会生态需求时的商品林供应量 ,造成巨大的社会福利损失 ,应减免林业税费、增加林业扶持、取消价格管制。该文进一步研究了与林业税费密切相关的森林采伐限额政策 ,认为对商品林应该完全取消采伐限额政策     

清朝前期外贸立法中的具结制度研究

具结制度在清前期海外贸易管理中占据非常突出的地位 ,各种甘结、保结得到充分的运用。通过对其存在原因的分析、对其广泛运用的考察以及对其作用的探讨 ,发现建立在宗法伦理基础上的具结制度是传统管理方式的延续 ,并成为封建官府规范管理的基础。它束缚了所有外贸参与主体 ,钳制了外贸实际运作过程。对内压抑了本国商品经济的发展 ,对外不能抵御经济政治侵略 ,是清前期海外贸易管理具有闭关性质的重要原因     

不同公司治理结构下财务导向模式的比较研究

公司治理结构决定其财务模式。论文以所有权和控制权表现形式不同 ,将现有公司治理结构分为外部监控型、内部监控型、家族控制型和转轨经济型 ,由此产生了经营者主导型、出资者主导型、业主主导型和内部人主导型的财务模式 ;并分析了我国公司治理结构与财务管理的现状、成因及发展趋向。对于寻找适合我国不同企业及同企业不同发展阶段的治理构架和财务模式奠定了基础     

我国深化素质教育改革的主要对策

目前我国素质教育改革的重点应是尽快启动素质教育评价体系建设国家研究项目,积极推进高校招生制度改革,促进学生身心协调健康成长,加快推进中小学实施小班化教学和加强农村师资建设。力争在较短的时间内实现高等教育质量的根本性恢复,稳步推进教育管理体制改革为素质教育改革目标的实现提供制度环境支持。     

严复的能力观及其对当代公共管理创新的启示——对史华兹《寻求富强:严复与西方》的一种解读

对美国著名汉学家史华兹的代表作<寻求富强:严复与西方>进行文本解读发现:该著所反映出的严复能力观对当代公共管理的创新发展具有重要的启示意义.严复认为中西方的关键性差别在于能力,而隐含其中的是以能力为导向的主体意识和公共意识方面的差距."-3代公共管理的创新发展有必要吸收严复能力观中的思想精髓,以国家能力建构为着力点,以公民启蒙为社会基石,以突显公正为其内在灵魂.对正处于社会转型期的国家而言,努力实现国家能力与公民自由问的平衡是达致善治的关键.     

论电子政务对行政决策的影响

电子政务是一场运用新的现代网络技术、信息技术为手段对传统政务管理模式的深刻变革。行政决策是行政管理的核心,贯穿于行政管理的全过程。电子政务的应用与推广,必将改变行政决策的环境、条件、技术与状态,从而深刻地影响着行政决策。要使电子政务对行政决策的影响发挥出应有的最大的效能,就必须理性运用电子政务,最大程度强化电子政务对行政决策的正面影响,最大程度弱化电子政务对行政决策的负面影响。     

清末广东的盗匪问题与政府清乡——从社会治理看清朝统治的末势

盗匪问题是清末广东突出的社会问题,在当时的文献中,常能见到诸如"粤东之盗,甲于天下"的说法。盗匪威胁民众的生命财产安全,造成社会动荡,不少也卷入革命党人发动的反清起义,危及当权者的统治。为消弭匪乱,稳定社会,清政府当局推行严厉清乡政策,以军事手段打击盗匪,而效果却并不明显。清末广东匪患的严重化以及政府于治理上的疲软处境,为我们进一步理解清末社会及清政府垮台的社会基础提供了更广的视角。