Hamid Mirfenderesk and David Corkill
The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of developing an adaptive strategy to address the impact of climate change in the context of flooding.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of developing an adaptive strategy to address the impact of climate change in the context of flooding.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyses flood risk and highlights the need for an adaptive strategic plan for flood risk management under the impact of climate change. It introduces a framework for the development of an adaptive strategic plan. The paper identifies organizational issues (at the local government scale) associated with having an adaptive strategic plan and developing a methodology to address these issues. It also identifies the need for a strategic decision support system (SDSS) and conceptualizing the system in order to support adaptive planning principle.
Findings
This study identifies lack of adaptability as a gap in traditional strategic planning for addressing flood risk associated with climate change. An adaptive strategic plan has adequate flexibility, promptness and responsiveness to adapt itself to new realities as they emerge and can sustain itself and remain relevant in a changing environment. The study introduces a SDSS that is necessary to support the adaptive element of an adaptive strategic plan.
Originality/value
This study distinguishes between a strategy for adaptation and an adaptive strategy. Most research on the topic of adaptation to climate change have been focused on developing strategies that offer adaptive solutions to pressing problems such as flooding. For instance, they may recommend more investment on non‐structural methods for flood mitigation, as they are more adaptive than alternative structural methods and therefore more sustainable under climate change. An issue that has attracted less attention is the fact that the strategic plans themselves (or in a sense the decision‐making framework) need to be equally adaptive. Some of public institutions do not have adequate flexibility and promptness to change and rectify high‐level strategic plans. The study identifies the lack of an SDSS, which allows new scientific findings to be converted to new policies in a short period of time, as a reason for absence of promptness, responsiveness and flexibility in such organizations. This study makes an attempt to address this issue by suggesting a frame work that will enable a government institution to become more responsive to change.
Details
Keywords
Carlos Rueda Armengot, Frances Solé Parellada and Joaquín Rieta Carbonell
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the ethnic profile of the entrepreneur in relation to business activity, the reasons for creating the firm and the creation process. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the ethnic profile of the entrepreneur in relation to business activity, the reasons for creating the firm and the creation process. The aim is to analyze whether or not belonging to a particular ethnic group has an influence on the said processes, regardless of place of birth or nationality.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 326 questionnaires were analyzed in order to carry out an exploratory study on different ethnic communities in the region of Valencia (Spain) by identifying the most influential factors for each of the dimensions studied.
Findings
The empirical results obtained show the relevance of ethnic origin. The variables that correspond to business activity, motives for new firm creation and the process involved undergo extremely significant alterations, depending on the origin of the entrepreneur.
Research limitations/implications
The paper focuses on a particular geographical area and thus the limitations of the sample, as well as the influence of environmental factors may affect some of the results.
Originality/value
The paper contributes towards understanding business activity among an increasingly important collective in a globalized economy and provides valuable knowledge for creating public policy aimed at the integration and development of different ethnic groups.
Details
Keywords
Clive Bingley, Edwin Fleming and Sarah Lawson
I DON'T KNOW whether you are yet straight in your minds about the present location of the various parts of my erstwhile, present and embryonic business empires, but it will…
Abstract
I DON'T KNOW whether you are yet straight in your minds about the present location of the various parts of my erstwhile, present and embryonic business empires, but it will certainly clear my mind of confusion if I try to set it down here once and for all—and you are welcome to photocopy it (without comeback) for the edification of your colleagues!
SPRING is now well with us, and it is not easy to prophesy what effect the great war will have on our profession, indeed it is impossible to forecast anything whatever about it…
Abstract
SPRING is now well with us, and it is not easy to prophesy what effect the great war will have on our profession, indeed it is impossible to forecast anything whatever about it. So far as libraries are concerned, there are abundant evidences that some librarians have been able to seize the opportunities the time affords them. An interesting example of this is a duplicated list issued by the Bristol Public Libraries offering to readers the titles of the books which in his capital little volume Books and You Somerset Maugham has recommended. It is a pity that the book referred to, which is a small volume of about 80 well‐spaced pages, costs 3s. 6d. Had it been published at 1s. we should recommend that every library should purchase one copy for every five hundred of its readers; and although this would be a large number it would be a thoroughly justifiable purchase, because Maugham, following of course personal standards as every writer must, has selected books which in his own opinion—and his is an opinion of no mean value—are of first hand excellence. In bringing the titles before the public in the way Bristol Libraries has done, Mr. Ross has done a service which most librarians are trying to do in some way or other, but is particularly effective in this particular case. Other libraries are putting out lists of war books, of gardening books, of cookery books and, indeed, on all sorts of practical subjects dealing with the war effort.