This timely Handbook examines performance management research specific to the public sector and its contexts, and provides suggestions for future developments in the field. It demonstrates the need for performance management to be reconceptualized as a core component of business both within and across organizations, and how it must be embedded in both strategic decision-making and as a day-to-day leadership and management practice in order to be effective. Addressing multiple levels of analysis, the Handbook shows how performance management can enable high performance if governance, systems, organization and individual components are aligned. Written by an international team of both academics and practitioners, chapters offer insights into why changes in practice need to occur, how to make such changes possible, and what these changes require from a practical standpoint. The Handbook also highlights current limitations in public sector performance management and suggests new initiatives for performance management frameworks. Scholars of public policy in human resources, administration and management looking for exemplary current research in these fields will find this Handbook invaluable. It will also be of interest to public administration and human resources practitioners looking to develop new practice and create new ways of thinking and behaving in the aftermath of global upheaval.

This insightful book provides readers with an in-depth discussion of the use of benchmarking in regulation in the European transport sector. It argues that benchmarking is invaluable to regulators, particularly in the transport sector where the pressures of competition in - or for - the market are often absent. Written by a range of expert contributors, chapters offer an analysis of methodology and data requirements, as well as practical examples of the use of benchmarking in the main transport modes (such as road, rail, seaports, airports and local public transport). Utilising illuminating case studies, the book also reviews the importance of benchmarking in the application of European competition law and considers the issue of obtaining appropriate and reliable data to achieve this. Benchmarking and Regulation in Transport will be an essential read for researchers, scholars and students in the fields of economic regulation, governance, transport economics and transport law. It will also be useful for policymakers and regulators who wish to further their understanding of the benefits of benchmarking in an efficiency-enhancing public policy strategy, especially within transport infrastructure.

This work deals with international principles regarding the use of language in the administration of justice, and looks at the way in which multilingual countries such as Belgium and Switzerland approach this complex problem. The title then compares language practice in the judiciary and security services in South Africa and some countries of the Southern African Development Community against the background of evolving language policy in the region. This title discusses the use of official languages in a specific domain of government from the point of view that a language cannot be regarded as official simplu because a constitution prescribes it. Important conclusions are drawn regarding the role of the multilingual state.

This insightful book reappraises how traditional high culture attractions have been supplemented by popular culture events, contemporary creativity and everyday life through inventive styles of tourism. Greg Richards draws on over three decades of research to provide a new approach to the topic, combining practice and interaction ritual theories and developing a model of cultural tourism as a social practice. Taking readers on a concise journey from the 1900s to the present day, Rethinking Cultural Tourism examines the evolution of cultural tourism and the resulting consequences, analysing the dynamics of new practices and emerging trends. The book concludes by considering how technology is causing a shift in tourist behaviour and experiences to meet the ever-growing demand for new travelling experiences and discovering new places and cultures. This innovative, thought-provoking book is an essential read for researchers of cultural and creative tourism and social practices, as well as providing a useful review of the development of cultural tourism for scholars in related fields such as human geography.

Alan Pryce-Jones (1908-2000) had a gift for living, for moving between countries and occupations, and above all for enjoying himself throughout. His memoir offers a highly entertaining account of these varied peregrinations and preoccupations.

After Eton and Oxford and a stint on the London Mercury he married and moved to Vienna, joined the army upon the outbreak of war, and after the collapse of France became involved in military intelligence work, returning to Vienna with the Army of Occupation. In peacetime he joined the staff of the "Times Literary Supplement," where he would be editor for twelve years. After his second marriage he moved to New York where he was book critic for the "Herald Tribune."

'There is charity, gaiety, toughness and good sense in this book.' Alan Massie, "Times"

'Engaging, stylish.' John Gross, "Observer"

This timely book calls for a paradigm shift in urban transport, which remains one of the critically uncertain aspects of the sustainability transformation of our societies. It argues that the potential of human scale thinking needs to be recognised, both in understanding people on the move in the city and within various organisations responsible for cities. Taking a multidisciplinary approach with a focus on the human scale, expert contributors offer lessons for responsible innovation practices to advance the human scale urban mobility technologies. Chapters also offer new insights into the development of urban and transport planning processes, considering new data, methods and approaches. Drawing on specific examples, the book presents a critical analysis of key topics, including the relationship between transport and wellbeing, the relationship between accessibility and income, the mobility of the elderly and various transport planning and policy questions. Transport in Human Scale Cities will be a critical reading for scholars and students of transport studies, urban economics, and urban and human geography. Its arguments for broadening the discussion on humans in urban mobility systems and necessary actions for the transition out of the current car-dependent mobility regime will also benefit policy-makers and practitioners in these fields.

If you drive through Mpumalanga with an eye on the landscape flashing by, you may see, near the sides of the road and further away on the hills above and in the valleys below, fragments of building in stone as well as sections of stone-walling breaking the grass cover. Endless stone circles, set in bewildering mazes and linked by long stone passages, cover the landscape stretching from Ohrigstad to Carolina, connecting over 10 000 square kilometres of the escarpment into a complex web of stone-walled homesteads, terraced fields and linking roads. Oral traditions recorded in the early twentieth century named the area Bokoni - the country of the Koni people. Few South Africans or visitors to the country know much about these settlements, and why today they are deserted and largely ignored. A long tradition of archaeological work which might provide some of the answers remains cloistered in universities and the knowledge vacuum has been filled by a variety of exotic explanations - invoking ancient settlers from India or even visitors from outer space - that share a common assumption that Africans were too primitive to have created such elaborate stone structures. Forgotten World defies the usual stereotypes about backward African farming methods and shows that these settlements were at their peak between 1500 and 1820, that they housed a substantial population, organised vast amounts of labour for infrastructural development, and displayed extraordinary levels of agricultural innovation and productivity. The Koni were part of a trading system linked to the coast of Mozambique and the wider world of Indian Ocean trade beyond. Forgotten World tells the story of Bokoni through rigorous historical and archaeological research, and lavishly illustrates it with stunning photographic images.

The hidden costs of artificial intelligence—from natural resources and labor to privacy, equality, and freedom.

What happens when artificial intelligence saturates political life and depletes the planet? How is AI shaping our understanding of ourselves and our societies? Drawing on more than a decade of research, award‑winning scholar Kate Crawford reveals how AI is a technology of extraction: from the minerals drawn from the earth to the labor pulled from low-wage information workers to the data taken from every action and expression.

Crawford reveals how this planetary network is fueling a shift toward undemocratic governance and increased inequity. Rather than taking a narrow focus on code and algorithms, Crawford offers us a material and political perspective on what it takes to make AI and how it centralizes power. This is an urgent account of what is at stake as technology companies use artificial intelligence to reshape the world.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Over the past 20 years, the concept of creative industries has become a widely recognised policy paradigm adopted in numerous countries, agencies and educational institutions around the world. A Research Agenda for Creative Industries probes the key issues that will help to advance research into creative industries as a productive and innovative intervention in public policy. Issues addressed include how much should a research agenda for creative industries be policy-oriented? How workable is the so-called triple bottom line rationale for creative industries? What innovative theories, research approaches and methods are called for in advancing a creative industries agenda? With contributions from leading scholars, policy and industry specialists, this interdisciplinary Research Agenda will be a vital resource for students and academics working in the fields of communication, culture, film and media, geography, business and policy studies, and Internet and social media studies.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This clear and concise book provides an overview of how laws and policies around the world are designed to support and accelerate the growth of renewable energy. Throughout, Professor Eisen focuses on how national and sub-national governments have responded to the revolutionary transformation of the world's energy system by developing and implementing support programs for renewable energy. Key features include: Global coverage of the ways in which laws and policies are guiding countries and regions to transitioning to renewable energy Detailed chapters highlighting all of the important regulatory, financial, and technological aspects of renewable energy development Critical insights designed to spotlight on-going challenges and spark discussions about policy development. Intended to serve both as a comprehensive introduction to this vast subject and to prompt readers to inquire further into the specific laws of individual nations, this Advanced Introduction will be beneficial for students, academics, and policymakers interested in the complex legal landscape governing renewable energy.

This state-of-the-art Research Handbook provides a challenging and critical examination of the complex issues surrounding sports in contemporary societies. Featuring contributions from world-leading scholars, it focuses upon the impact of their research, together with significant social issues and controversies in sport. International and comprehensive, the Research Handbook is organised around the key themes of governance, economics, events, the athletes and the future. Chapters examine the various theoretical and methodological approaches undertaken by the contributors and outline the current state of knowledge, to demonstrate the social and economic impact of academic research, as well as the constraints on research influence. Written during the global coronavirus pandemic, chapters also reflect on the way in which the public health crisis has exposed social issues and fragilities. The Research Handbook on Sports and Society will be a beneficial read for students of all levels studying sports science, sociology and public policy. The insights offered by established researchers will aid students in further understanding key methodologies, and opportunities and challenges for research. They also include recommendations for future policy and practice grounded in substantial research evidence.

This timely book focuses on the upgrading of firms within the global garment industry, examining how garment manufacturers and retailers in different countries internationalize, develop their capabilities and enhance their sustainability. It highlights the important role the global garments industry plays in the socio-economic development and environmental outcomes of emerging economies. Drawing on firm-centric, multi-level analyses, the book addresses four key questions: how do apparel manufacturing companies in emerging economies internationalize? What factors promote or hinder internationalization? What influences the abilities of suppliers to develop different capabilities? How do firms achieve sustainability? Interdisciplinary contributions draw on a range of perspectives, including global value chains, international business, operations management, innovation, and sociology, to answer these questions. Providing novel insights to the topic, this book will help firms, researchers and national and multilateral organisations improve the competitiveness of suppliers, workers' well-being and environmental outcomes. It will be particularly useful to business economics and economic geography scholars.

Lean thinking involves more than just eliminating waste; through its five guiding principles-value, value chain, continuous flow, pull production, and perfection-its successful applications are commonly found in the manufacturing sector. Although its application and benefits to companies is no longer contested, it is rare to find works that consolidate applications of lean thinking in sectors that are unconventional, such as healthcare and government. Cases on Lean Thinking Applications in Unconventional Systems allows readers to broaden their view on lean thinking applications and visualize insights for research. It presents case studies and applications of lean thinking within several different industries. Covering topics such as emergency care units, standardized work, and national humanization policy, this case book is an essential resource for engineers, hospital administrators, healthcare professionals, IT managers, government officials, students and faculty of higher education, researchers, and academicians.