Governing TVET in Federal Nepal: Centralized or Decentralized Management ?

With the increasing recognition of the need for skilled human resources in developing countries, the role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has been an important part of the education system. However, in spite of such a vital role of TVET, challenges exist in designing, planning and implementing it while governing effectively. Such context has raised the issue of governing TVET among educationists, policy makers and all stakeholders to achieve its intended goals. The TVET governing issue has been of serious concern to its stakeholders in Nepal with the introduction of the federal structure in 2015. Hence this paper aims to explore the governing issue of TVET in the context of federal governance of Nepal. For this, this paper employs qualitative research approach in analyzing policy and practice of TVET in Nepal. This paper explores that the process of governing TVET in Nepal has remained highly centralized in spite of rhetoric of decentralization as the main agenda of governing development over the decades. Arguably, there is a reluctant tendency in devolving TVET as per the new structure of federal governance. Instead, conflicts among three levels of governments – federal, provincial and local – are emerging in the case of TVET similar to other development sectors. Hence, for sustainable operation and management of TVET this paper argues that the policy and practice of the TVET need to be guided by the concept of multilevel governance with collaboration among the three levels of government as envisaged by the new federal constitution.

Estimation of Sediments in Rengali Reservoir, Odisha (India) Using Remote Sensing

Reservoir sedimentation is a regular process and sequential path of sedimentation in reservoirs comprising of erosion, entrainment, transference, deposition and compaction of dregs carried into artificial lakes formed behind the dams. India houses 5334 large dams in function (2329 numbers before 1980) and 411 dams are in pipeline. The Rengali dam, functioned from 1984, that traps 50% of the total sediment load of the Brahmani River continues to thwart the growth and buffering of the Brahmani delta. Remote sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) have emerged as powerful tools to create spatial inventory on Hydro-Bio-geo resources and the state of the environment. The RS/GIS and process-based modelling employed in spatial and dynamic assessment of loss in live storage of the reservoir by developing contour, aspect and slope map by using data received from LANDSAT sources. The sedimentation of the Rengali reservoir (functional from 1984) studied for three decades 1990-2000; 2000-2010 and 2010- 2020 by constructing contour, aspect and water spread area maps by using web based data (satellite downloads). The web based water spread area data analysed by GIS tool for integration, spatial analysis, and visual presentations. The results revealed that the decadal rate of sedimentation of Rengali reservoir is reducing with age. An appropriate reservoir operation and management system as per defined protocols considering sediment related problems is essential for controlling the ageing processes that may diminish the safety and shorten the reservoir life.

Student-managed investment funds: seven mismatches and three recommendations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the embedded challenges of student-managed investment funds (SMIFs) and provide recommendations to work with these issues.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes and critiques the ways SMIFs are structured and operated and makes several suggestions.FindingsThe paper details seven unique challenges of SMIFs compared to professionally managed investment funds. The source of these challenges is that SMIFs are set up for educational purposes, which makes the operation and management different from performance-focused investment funds. The paper proposes several recommendations on how to align the educational focus with fund performance.Originality/valueThe paper is original and based on primary research.

Research on Measures for Development of Nanjing Rail-water Intermodal Transportation based on Development of Hub Economy

At present, the proportion of railroad and waterway cargo transportation in China’s cargo transportation system is growing year by year, and Rail-water intermodal transportation is highly efficient and less polluting, which is very suitable for the current economic development, and its development has inestimable potential. Facing the growing demand for transportation, it is of special significance to improve the transportation capacity and management level of Rail-water transportation in China. This paper first analyzes the development foundation and environment of Nanjing port, then takes Longtan port as an example and proposes the main measures such as improving Nanjing’s Rail-water transportation infrastructure construction, integrating railroad resources, reforming operation and management, and formulating port cluster development planning.

Does the risk of major customer need to be balanced? The role of customer concentration in corporate governance

In the operation and management of the company, major customers may affect a supplier firm’s level of governance. The goal of our study is investigating whether a major customer acts as an important role in corporate governance in emerging markets and exposing the mechanism that how major customers affect corporate decision-making. There is a growing body of literature involving studies about the effect of customer concentration on firm performance of western countries. Few studies have recognized to what degree does customer concentration satisfy the sustainable development of supplier firm. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms, we found a nonlinear relationship between customer concentration and risk-taking, corporate policies and firm performance. Evidence shows that the effect of customer concentration in China resembles an inverted U-shaped curve and major customers are crucial in financial and investment policies. Our results help to provide a broader perspective on the role of major customers, giving a deep explanation about the role of customer concentration in corporate governance.

An Integrated Knowledge Management Model for Community Enterprises: A Case Study of a Rural Community Enterprise in Thailand

<p>This research seeks to explore the characteristics, organisational culture and current knowledge management (KM) practice in a community enterprise (CE). Prae Pun - a hand weaving CE in the northeast rural area of Thailand - has typical CE characteristics - self-employed and collaborative management, and a home-based production system utilising local resources and knowledge. This research used a qualitative method. Data were collected through narrative inquiry, participant observation and document analysis. The 18 respondents were Prae Pun members, committee members, an advisory committee member and office staff members. The data were analysed through theme analysis. The findings of this research reveal that, although community members would not be aware of doing so, Prae Pun managed its knowledge through informal educational activities - learning by doing and observation - and work processes concerned with collaboration and informality. The current KM practice of Prae Pun entails three processes: basic skill development, competence building and new knowledge creation through creation, capture, sharing, transferring, verification, utilisation and codification. Significantly for this study, KM of Prae Pun focuses on organisational knowledge creation and indigenous knowledge systems. The current KM of Prae Pun also has four other components. Its knowledge resources come from members, other villagers, other hand weaving groups, support organisations and markets. Most of the knowledge is tacit and indigenous. The operation and management systems determine the knowledge processes and provide supportive and incentive systems. The organisational culture and resources, including funding, social capital and appropriate technologies, also provide supportive and incentive systems. The resources are also the tools that facilitate the knowledge processes. The knowledge assets encompass actual assets - products, cloth designs, techniques, and operation and management systems - and competencies including members' skills and abilities, social capital, and shared values, which are not registered as intellectual properties but are in the forms of organisational memories. The traditional KM practice of Prae Pun can be possibly strengthened by integrating modern KM concepts, including knowledge resources from academic and government agencies, appropriate technologies to facilitate knowledge codification and knowledge transfer, extrinsic reward and incentive systems, and facilitators or consultants to enhance members' communities of practice (CoPs). The findings of this study and the KM model contribute to both CE development and further research on KM in a CE context and indigenous KM.</p>

An Integrated Knowledge Management Model for Community Enterprises: A Case Study of a Rural Community Enterprise in Thailand

<p>This research seeks to explore the characteristics, organisational culture and current knowledge management (KM) practice in a community enterprise (CE). Prae Pun - a hand weaving CE in the northeast rural area of Thailand - has typical CE characteristics - self-employed and collaborative management, and a home-based production system utilising local resources and knowledge. This research used a qualitative method. Data were collected through narrative inquiry, participant observation and document analysis. The 18 respondents were Prae Pun members, committee members, an advisory committee member and office staff members. The data were analysed through theme analysis. The findings of this research reveal that, although community members would not be aware of doing so, Prae Pun managed its knowledge through informal educational activities - learning by doing and observation - and work processes concerned with collaboration and informality. The current KM practice of Prae Pun entails three processes: basic skill development, competence building and new knowledge creation through creation, capture, sharing, transferring, verification, utilisation and codification. Significantly for this study, KM of Prae Pun focuses on organisational knowledge creation and indigenous knowledge systems. The current KM of Prae Pun also has four other components. Its knowledge resources come from members, other villagers, other hand weaving groups, support organisations and markets. Most of the knowledge is tacit and indigenous. The operation and management systems determine the knowledge processes and provide supportive and incentive systems. The organisational culture and resources, including funding, social capital and appropriate technologies, also provide supportive and incentive systems. The resources are also the tools that facilitate the knowledge processes. The knowledge assets encompass actual assets - products, cloth designs, techniques, and operation and management systems - and competencies including members' skills and abilities, social capital, and shared values, which are not registered as intellectual properties but are in the forms of organisational memories. The traditional KM practice of Prae Pun can be possibly strengthened by integrating modern KM concepts, including knowledge resources from academic and government agencies, appropriate technologies to facilitate knowledge codification and knowledge transfer, extrinsic reward and incentive systems, and facilitators or consultants to enhance members' communities of practice (CoPs). The findings of this study and the KM model contribute to both CE development and further research on KM in a CE context and indigenous KM.</p>

Use of renewable energies as part of the strategy to increase the access of energy to remote communities. A Colombian case: Isla Múcura

Use of renewable energies in remote places with no access to main electrical infrastructure becomes fundamental to guarantee equity as well as affordable and clean energy, impacting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). There is also fundamental correct and effective capacitation to operators, to avoid expected-lifetime reductions due to malfunctioning or maloperation. In this paper, the case of Isla Múcura is studied: Photovoltaic (PV) system and storage diagnosis, recovery and community capacitation activities were performed in a fishing and tourism-based community with no knowledge about electrical infrastructure. It was detected that correct capacitation and reliable information devices are fundamental to improve maintenance, operation, and management of the overall generation system